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

The Israeli government has reiterated its call for Hamas to return the remains of all the hostages. —Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025

American news outlets broadcast live as hostages from Israel and beyond were reunited with their families. —Mosab Abu Toha, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025

The crisis ended three days later when Russian forces gassed the building, killing many hostages and all of the attackers. —Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 23 Oct. 2025

One such spirit, the Zachariah Kull (Kim Coates), keeps their grandfather's soul hostage, preventing him from reaching eternal rest. —Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 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