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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Recent Examples of captivity
For Gemma, a former professor, the escape follows a distressing period of captivity at Lumon after the company faked her death in order to kidnap her, isolated her from the outside world and fractured her mind into several innies.
—
Abigail Lee, Variety, 22 Mar. 2025
Ukraine has brought home 175 soldiers from Russian captivity, with an additional 22 returning through separate non-exchange efforts.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
The charity reports that while elephants were once employed for war and labor, they are now commonly kept in captivity for entertainment.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
Last week, Israel ended a two-month-old ceasefire by resuming bombing and ground operations, increasing pressure on Hamas to free the remaining hostages in its captivity.
—Reuters, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for captivity
Abigail Lee, Variety, 22 Mar. 2025
Ukraine has brought home 175 soldiers from Russian captivity, with an additional 22 returning through separate non-exchange efforts.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
The charity reports that while elephants were once employed for war and labor, they are now commonly kept in captivity for entertainment.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
Last week, Israel ended a two-month-old ceasefire by resuming bombing and ground operations, increasing pressure on Hamas to free the remaining hostages in its captivity.
—Reuters, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for captivity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivity
Noun
-
The United States has a shameful history of detaining and deporting citizens, from the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II to more recent cases.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Musician and educator Harry Urata, confined to an internment camp after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, encountered Japanese-American workers who had processed sugar cane leaves on Hawaiian plantations since the late 19th and early 20th centuries.—
Paul Grein,
Billboard,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Through deeply personal storytelling, the film highlights the generational impact of mass incarceration, the resilience of families, and the urgent need for systemic change.—
Hilary Lewis,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Apr. 2025
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Many of the recipients are working on projects responding to issues including climate change, Indigenous studies, identity, democracy and politics, incarceration, and the evolving purpose of community.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
And so, Diana stayed behind, idly waiting out her period of confinement while the museum was rebuilt around her.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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Top executives settled as well, including one who was sentenced to home confinement as part of a criminal plea deal.—
Harvard Business Review,
Harvard Business Review,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Alexander Smirnov was sentenced to six years in prison in January after pleading guilty to lying to his FBI handler about the Biden family's ties to a Ukrainian energy company -- in addition to a series of unrelated tax fraud charges.—
Alexander Mallin,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2025
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His lawyers said Mahdi's original attorneys put on a shallow case trying to spare his life that didn't call on relatives, teachers or others who knew him and ignored the impact of months spent in solitary confinement in prison as a teen.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Captivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivity. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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