captivity

noun

kap-ˈti-və-tē How to pronounce captivity (audio)
Definition of captivitynext
as in internment
the act of confining or the state of being confined the wildlife refuge raises endangered species in captivity and then releases them into the wild

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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 captivity Weeks before Hayden Panettiere’s tragic death on August 16, the longtime animal rights advocate used her celebrity platform to raise awareness for dolphins and whales held in captivity. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 19 Aug. 2026 As Koschei the Deathless stirs from millennia-long captivity, powerful allies close in to reclaim the human lands. — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 For the project, focused on ending the captivity of dolphins and whales in marine parks, Panettiere was photographed in a tiny bathtub. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026 But as the episode closes out on another flash-forward to Joe’s captivity, we’re reminded that the plan of escape from this hellish timeline only throws her deeper into its clutches. — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for captivity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivity
  1. internment
  2. imprisonment
  3. incarceration
  4. confinement
  5. prison
Noun
  • Aliens land in Johannesburg in 1982 seeking refuge, but instead they're crammed into an internment camp called District 9.
    — Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Matsui’s response centered on her family’s history in a Japanese internment camp.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of internment
Noun
  • Indecent exposure to a minor under the age of 15 is also a Class 6 felony, resulting in a Class 6 felony as well, which is a far more serious crime resulting in imprisonment in state or federal prison.
    — Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • During her imprisonment, Stötzer refused to leave the GDR for West Germany under the Häftlingsfreikauf program, which offered ransoms for political prisoners.
    — Elisa R. Linn, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of imprisonment
Noun
  • That, and the at-arm’s-length care of the staff (who are sometimes comedically cold), makes existence within the ward feel like a close cousin to incarceration.
    — Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2026
  • For generations, the women sustain a world of warmth and care amid what Fleetwood calls a family curse, as the men’s lives are beset by mass incarceration and rampant gun violence.
    — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of incarceration
Noun
  • Judge Kimberly Gallant said he must be fitted with an ankle monitor before his release and will then spend his time in home confinement.
    — Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Type One Energy’s approach is built around stellarator confinement.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of confinement
Noun
  • The jury did convict Rosado of driving under the influence and he was sentenced to five years in prison, but Rosado has been behind bars on a $2 million bail since 2021 so won't have to serve any additional time.
    — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Over the course of Exile, one of Loktev’s subjects is poisoned; another receives a five-year prison sentence in absentia.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of prison

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Cite this Entry

“Captivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivity. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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