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
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
Around 30,000 children are among those being held as prisoners.
—
Asher Notheis, The Washington Examiner, 1 June 2025
Whether or not Melendez or any of these men ever walk free, what was once California’s most notorious lockup is now a place that offers them the chance to change and provides the most elusive of emotions for prisoners — hope.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2025
The law was meant to both reduce the sentences for non-violent prisoners, many of whom are first time offenders, by up to a year and also give them the opportunity to serve more of their sentence under strict conditions in the community.
—Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
The new evacuation order comes as Israel and Hamas consider a new cease-fire proposal that would free a few dozen Israeli hostages, alive and dead, still being held in Gaza, and release hundreds of Palestinians prisoners held by Israel.
—Lara Jakes, New York Times, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prisoner
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Asher Notheis, The Washington Examiner, 1 June 2025
Whether or not Melendez or any of these men ever walk free, what was once California’s most notorious lockup is now a place that offers them the chance to change and provides the most elusive of emotions for prisoners — hope.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2025
The law was meant to both reduce the sentences for non-violent prisoners, many of whom are first time offenders, by up to a year and also give them the opportunity to serve more of their sentence under strict conditions in the community.
—Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
The new evacuation order comes as Israel and Hamas consider a new cease-fire proposal that would free a few dozen Israeli hostages, alive and dead, still being held in Gaza, and release hundreds of Palestinians prisoners held by Israel.
—Lara Jakes, New York Times, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prisoner
Cite this Entry
“Prisoner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prisoner. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prisoner
noun
pris·on·er
ˈpriz-nər 
-ᵊn-ər
: a person who has been captured or locked up
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