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

After the president played hardball with GOP leaders by holding the housing bill hostage, conservative hardliners in the House followed suit. — Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 30 June 2026

One of three guards at the 88-inmate facility was able to escape after the takeover began, while two others were taken hostage, the State Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 30 June 2026

Over time, Eisenkot grew increasingly critical of the government’s conduct during the war and the absence of a clear strategy, particularly regarding the hostages held in Gaza. — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 29 June 2026

The airline should not be able to take advantage of its own mistake, hold me hostage in Honolulu and force me to pay an additional $575. — Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 29 June 2026

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