hostage

noun

hos·​tage ˈhä-stij 

1

a

: a person held by one party in a conflict as a pledge pending the fulfillment of an agreement

b

: a person taken by force to secure the taker's demands

2

: one that is involuntarily controlled by an outside influence

Examples of hostage in a Sentence

The terrorists demanded a plane and a pilot in exchange for the hostages.

The hostage crisis is now entering its second week.

The passengers were taken hostage.

They were held hostage for several days.

Recent Examples on the Web

More than 1,200 people died and 251 more were taken as hostages into the enclave, before Israel launched an intensive aerial and ground campaign against Hamas in the densely-populated strip. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025

Fifty-eight hostages remain in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023. —Ellie Kaufman, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2025

On Wednesday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas demanded the release of the remaining hostages and the disarmament of the militant group. —Jade Walker, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2025

Israel’s bombing and invasion of Gaza began in October 2023 in response to Hamas’ October 7 attacks on southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people and resulted in the taking of 251 hostages. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hostage, ostage, borrowed from Anglo-French, "lodging, residence, custody of a person held as security against fulfillment of an agreement, the person so held," from hoste "guest, host" + -age -age — more at host entry 1

Note: The peculiar sense shift apparently arose from the Old French use of hostage in verbal phrases such as prendre en hostage "to take in residence, lodge" in reference to the lodging of a person held as surety; the import of hostage was then transferred to the status of such a person, and finally to the actual person.

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing hostage

• a hostage to fortune
• hostage crisis

Kids Definition

hostage

noun

hos·​tage ˈhäs-tij 

: a person held captive as a pledge that promises will be kept or terms met by another