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

• 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

Camp Blanding was used for detention purposes in the past, housing German prisoners during World War II. —Skyler Swisher, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 June 2025

But an intake guard threw that ruling in the trash, handcuffed the prisoner to a chair and shaved him. —Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 24 June 2025

Shakoor’s appeal raises a disturbing question: Was DeSantis singling out the subset of death row prisoners whom Shakoor represents? —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 June 2025

Prisoner movement is through public corridors and through public entrances of each courtroom because the layout of the building does not allow for separation of public, prisoner, judge and staff movement. —Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 23 June 2025

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