Definition of hostage
1a : a person held by one party in a conflict as a pledge pending the fulfillment of an agreementb : a person taken by force to secure the taker's demands
2 : one that is involuntarily controlled by an outside influence
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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 of hostage from the Web
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And in January 2015, a drone struck a Qaeda compound in Pakistan where, unbeknown to the C.I.A., the militants were holding two hostages: Warren Weinstein, an American aid worker and economic adviser, and Giovanni Lo Porto, 37, an Italian.
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Abu Sayyaf, which is considered one of the smallest yet most violent jihadist groups in the southern Philippines, is notorious for kidnapping for ransom and beheading hostages, as well as for targeting civilians and the army.
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An undetermined number of Americans apparently were taken hostage by Panamanians wearing civilian clothing.
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Hapilon escaped and gunmen loyal to him swept through the city of 200,000 people, torching buildings and taking hostages.
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Hapilon got away and fighters loyal to him took over parts of the city, burning buildings, taking cover in houses and seizing about a dozen hostages, including a Catholic priest.
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Isnilon got away and fighters loyal to him took over parts of the city, burning building and seizing hostages.
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Vance resigned in April 1980, when Carter backed a military attempt — strongly supported by Dr. Brzezinski — to rescue 52 U.S. diplomats held hostage in Tehran by Iranian radicals.
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But the Carter years were also defined by the Iranian hostage crisis, which came to symbolize the administration's failures and frustrations.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hostage'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of hostage
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from hoste
HOSTAGE Defined for English Language Learners
hostage
playDefinition of hostage for English Language Learners
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: a person who is captured by someone who demands that certain things be done before the captured person is freed
HOSTAGE Defined for Kids
hostage
playDefinition of hostage for Students
: a person who is captured by someone who demands that certain things be done before the captured person is freed
Learn More about hostage
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Spanish Central: Translation of hostage Nglish: Translation of hostage for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of hostage for Arabic speakers
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