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

Washington and Sacramento have made law enforcement’s job harder with early prisoner release and reduced penalties for repeat offenders. —Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026

Christopher Wilske is suing Boise police over a March 2024 shooting at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, where Officer Wayne Anderson shot him in the face during the response to a prisoner escape. —Idaho Statesman, 7 May 2026

Inmate records reveal prisoner number 26016178 is in custody at the Orange County jail being on no bond. —Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026

The story centers on a unit of nine soldiers – drawn from across the military hierarchy – dispatched to Tsushima Island to bring home Koreans taken prisoner by Japanese pirate groups. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 May 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