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
The film centers on animal captivity at the controversial theme park, specifically an incident in which Tilikum, an aggressive orca, killed three people, including a SeaWorld trainer.
—
Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 27 May 2026
In conservation circles, the technique is known as headstarting — raise an animal in captivity, release it in the wild.
—Nathan Rott, NPR, 27 May 2026
The critic drew a parallel to Passengers and The Stepford Wives in noting that the horror of Bear’s wish is ultimately a form of captivity that the film occasionally risks framing as a romance complication rather than a moral catastrophe.
—Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Thunberg and other activists also alleged abuse in captivity at the hands of Israeli forces, which Israel previously denied.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for captivity
Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 27 May 2026
In conservation circles, the technique is known as headstarting — raise an animal in captivity, release it in the wild.
—Nathan Rott, NPR, 27 May 2026
The critic drew a parallel to Passengers and The Stepford Wives in noting that the horror of Bear’s wish is ultimately a form of captivity that the film occasionally risks framing as a romance complication rather than a moral catastrophe.
—Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Thunberg and other activists also alleged abuse in captivity at the hands of Israeli forces, which Israel previously denied.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for captivity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivity
Noun
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During the special, Klepper travels to a peaceful nude bike rally against ICE internment camps holding people without due process.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
15 June 2026
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After their internment, the Kuromi family returned to their farm in 1945 to find their equipment stolen.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Noun
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In the weeks leading up to his imprisonment, Abu Safiya fought to maintain his composure as Israeli forces surrounded the hospital, releasing grainy video dispatches from the facility under siege.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
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During the earlier dictatorship, Kim survived imprisonment and at least one attempt to kill him.—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2026
Noun
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In October, his children made heartfelt pleas to a New York federal judge to see their father released from federal lockup after more than a year of incarceration.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
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Epstein seemed to feel increasingly depressed about the conditions of his incarceration.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Noun
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Previously, a spokesperson said that the bureau does not discuss conditions of confinement or security procedures and that employee standards of conduct prohibit staff from giving any prisoners preferential treatment.—
Keri Blakinger,
ProPublica,
11 June 2026
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Meanwhile, the ohmic-heating system drives electrical current through the plasma to raise temperatures and support confinement.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Landry faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison, according to federal prosecutors.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
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Prosecutors had sought seven years and seven months in prison.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Captivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivity. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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