as in imprisoned
taken and held prisoner
the captive soldiers were treated humanely by the guards
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of captive
Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 15 Oct. 2025
In recent years, activists focused on the fate of Lolita, an orca whale held captive in a shallow pool for more than a half-century.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2025
Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Israel on Tuesday received the coffins of two hostages returned from Gaza through the Red Cross, as officials said the remains will be identified before being released to their families as the military vowed to keep working to bring home all remaining captives.
—Greg Wehner , Yael Halon, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for captive
Adjective
While studies in the early 2000s provided good insights into Indiana’s woodrat populations, the researchers concluded that a captive breeding program would help woodrat populations build better genetic diversity in the state.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 15 Oct. 2025
In recent years, activists focused on the fate of Lolita, an orca whale held captive in a shallow pool for more than a half-century.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
Two other captives were women who had allegedly been romantically involved with Birchfield, the outlet reported.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Israel on Tuesday received the coffins of two hostages returned from Gaza through the Red Cross, as officials said the remains will be identified before being released to their families as the military vowed to keep working to bring home all remaining captives.
—Greg Wehner , Yael Halon, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for captive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captive
Adjective
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Trump’s decision to commute Santos’ sentence came after multiple friends and allies of the imprisoned ex-politician made appeals for his clemency, a senior White House official told NBC News on Friday evening.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Among the Continental soldiers taken prisoner at the Battle of Trois-Rivières in Quebec in 1776, for instance, eighty-nine of two hundred told their redcoat captors they had been born overseas.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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Another, Alfateh Abdullah Idris, who goes by the nickname Abu Lulu, casually begins firing a Kalashnikov rifle down the row of prisoners.—
Nicolas Niarchos,
New Yorker,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Captive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captive. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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