as in prisoners
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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Recent Examples of captives
Israeli estimates indicate that 48 captives remain in the Strip.
—
Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 30 Aug. 2025
By nightfall, Liat and Aviv were captives in Gaza along with 250 other people – 12 of whom, like Liat, were American citizens.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Since the war began, Hamas has remained closely allied with Islamic Jihad, which as of this summer continued to hold one of the remaining Israeli captives, Rom Braslavski.
—Leila Seurat, Foreign Affairs, 26 Aug. 2025
Netanyahu has argued that the offensive is the surest way to free captives and crush Hamas.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 23 Aug. 2025
Confined to the Strip, captives for years, often from birth, because of the Israeli blockade, Gazans could set eyes but not feet on lands from which parents and grandparents had been forced to flee.
—Hussein Agha, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Thousands of Israelis took part in a nationwide strike on in support of families of hostages held in Gaza, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach an agreement with Hamas to end the war and release the remaining captives.
—Rami Amichay, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2025
The offensive ended up killing three other Israeli captives, along with at least 274 Palestinians, according to Al Jazeera.
—Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
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
Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 30 Aug. 2025
By nightfall, Liat and Aviv were captives in Gaza along with 250 other people – 12 of whom, like Liat, were American citizens.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Since the war began, Hamas has remained closely allied with Islamic Jihad, which as of this summer continued to hold one of the remaining Israeli captives, Rom Braslavski.
—Leila Seurat, Foreign Affairs, 26 Aug. 2025
Netanyahu has argued that the offensive is the surest way to free captives and crush Hamas.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 23 Aug. 2025
Confined to the Strip, captives for years, often from birth, because of the Israeli blockade, Gazans could set eyes but not feet on lands from which parents and grandparents had been forced to flee.
—Hussein Agha, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Thousands of Israelis took part in a nationwide strike on in support of families of hostages held in Gaza, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach an agreement with Hamas to end the war and release the remaining captives.
—Rami Amichay, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2025
The offensive ended up killing three other Israeli captives, along with at least 274 Palestinians, according to Al Jazeera.
—Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captives
prisoners
Noun
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Last month, Hamas accepted Qatari and Egyptian mediators’ most recent offer for a 60-day temporary ceasefire, during which 10 of the living hostages would be returned in exchange for a mass release of Palestinian prisoners.—
Ibrahim Dahman,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
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Elsewhere there will be Waiting For the Out, the adaptation of Andy West’s memoir written by Dennis Kelly about a philosopher teaching prisoners concepts such as dominance and free will only to have his own past unravel.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Captives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captives. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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