prisoner

noun

pris·​on·​er ˈpriz-nər 

ˈpri-zᵊn-ər

1

: a person deprived of liberty and kept under involuntary restraint, confinement, or custody

especially : one on trial or in prison

2

: someone restrained as if in prison

a prisoner of her own conscience

see also:

take-no-prisoners take no prisoners

Synonyms of prisoner

• captive
• capture

Examples of prisoner in a Sentence

He was captured by rebel forces and kept as their prisoner for several months before they set him free.

The families were held prisoner for four days.

Recent Examples on the Web

This situation reflects the classic prisoner’s dilemma. —Michael Gregory, The Conversation, 4 June 2026

The past holds Russia prisoner. —Antony Beevor, Washington Post, 2 June 2026

No ordinary filmmaker could have gotten access to such a high-profile prisoner. —Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026

Adele got a nonspeaking part in the human machine that would gouge the prisoner’s sentence into the officer’s body. —Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing prisoner

• co-prisoner
• political prisoner
• prisoner of conscience
• prisoner of war
• prisoner's base
• take (someone) prisoner

Kids Definition

prisoner

noun

pris·​on·​er ˈpriz-nər 

-ᵊn-ər

: a person who has been captured or locked up

Legal Definition

prisoner

noun

pris·​on·​er

: a person deprived of liberty and kept under involuntary restraint, confinement, or custody

especially : one under arrest, awaiting trial, on trial, or serving a prison sentence