as in imprisoned
taken and held prisoner
the captive soldiers were treated humanely by the guards
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of captive
Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 17 July 2025
Among them was Yehuda Cohen, whose son Nimrod is being held captive in Gaza.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 7 Aug. 2025
Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
But the move raised fears further fighting will only endanger captives – and worsen an already dire humanitarian crisis.
—Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for captive
Adjective
In these cases, the tax credit belongs to the leasing company, often the automaker's captive finance arm.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 17 July 2025
Among them was Yehuda Cohen, whose son Nimrod is being held captive in Gaza.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
The group accused Netanyahu's government of showing blatant disregard for the captives, warning that the decision to occupy Gaza is essentially a death sentence for those being held.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
But the move raised fears further fighting will only endanger captives – and worsen an already dire humanitarian crisis.
—Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for captive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captive
prisoner
Noun
-
As the blaze continued its advance on Saturday, all 179 prisoners were evacuated from Rifle Correctional Center in Garfield County, state authorities said.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
11 Aug. 2025
-
Julia swears that she can’t be held as a prisoner, but Lord Lovat (Tony Curran), also known as Simon Fraser, quickly puts this feisty woman in her place.—
Lincee Ray Published,
EW.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Captive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captive. Accessed 26 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share