as in imprisoned
taken and held prisoner
the captive soldiers were treated humanely by the guards
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in prisoner
one that has been taken and held in confinement
the captives in the concentration camp had devised a daring plan of escape
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of captive
Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2025
The military says some were held captive in the home of a Gaza doctor.
—Daniel Estrin, NPR, 7 Oct. 2025
Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2025
Beginning Wednesday night and continuing into Thursday, joyful relatives of hostages and their supporters spilled into Tel Aviv’s central square, which has become the main gathering point in the effort to free the captives.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for captive
Adjective
After discovering enslavers in his lineage, a filmmaker confronts a complicated legacy and meets the descendants of those his ancestors held captive.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2025
The military says some were held captive in the home of a Gaza doctor.
—Daniel Estrin, NPR, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
Thereafter, the freed captives will be flown to hospitals across Israel, which have already cleared dedicated departments.
—Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2025
Beginning Wednesday night and continuing into Thursday, joyful relatives of hostages and their supporters spilled into Tel Aviv’s central square, which has become the main gathering point in the effort to free the captives.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for captive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captive
prisoner
Noun
-
Witkoff, Rubio, and Kushner then streamlined the proposal to a two-phase structure—first, a ceasefire and exchange of hostages and prisoners to stop the fighting; second, a framework for Gaza's future, including disarmament and a technocratic transitional government.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
11 Oct. 2025
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In the coming days, a hostage and prisoner exchange is set to begin, and hundreds of humanitarian aid trucks are expected to be allowed into Gaza.—
NPR,
NPR,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Captive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captive. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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