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
H. C. Wilentz, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Rather quickly, the bears came out and presumed that Blue Owl cherry-picked the best loans and sold most of them to the three arms-length investors and the rest to the captive insurance company.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Mar. 2026
Drew Gilpin Faust, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
Global capability centers and captives, particularly in India and other low-cost locations, have expanded rapidly.
—Peter Bendor-Samuel, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for captive
Adjective
Driving around Tehran with the captive drugged in the back of a van, Vahid seeks out other former prisoners to confirm the man’s identity and to help decide whether to kill him.
—H. C. Wilentz, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Rather quickly, the bears came out and presumed that Blue Owl cherry-picked the best loans and sold most of them to the three arms-length investors and the rest to the captive insurance company.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Mar. 2026
Noun
The North’s decisions about prisoner exchanges were based on military calculations, not benevolent concern for Black captives.
—Drew Gilpin Faust, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
Global capability centers and captives, particularly in India and other low-cost locations, have expanded rapidly.
—Peter Bendor-Samuel, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for captive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captive
Adjective
-
Foro Penal, which keeps tabs on imprisoned dissidents and regime opponents, estimates that nearly 400 detainees will not benefit, noting the law covers only a 13-year period of the 27 years of Chavismo.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Habeas petitions are, as a rule, the last option for an imprisoned person to void their convictions.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
17 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
While incarcerated, he was later convicted in 2014 in Los Angeles County of assault by a prisoner with a deadly weapon.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Tewalt’s changes to the state’s lethal injection protocols came about eight months after the prison system failed to execute a different death row prisoner in early 2024 when its execution team could not find a vein in his body suitable for an IV to deliver the chemicals.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Captive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captive. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
