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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But with Questions 27 & 28, Yamashita is not just seeking to interpret the loyalty debate, and perhaps the experience of internment, by writing fiction about it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
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Tursun, 36, told us that her newborn son — one of triplets — had been killed by the Chinese Communist Party and that she was tortured in internment camps.—
Michael Arkush,
Twin Cities,
26 May 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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Judge Nicole Hopps last month increased his minimum term of incarceration to 60 years after granting his request to correct the erroneous sentence.—
Tom Olsen,
Twin Cities,
8 June 2026
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After the podcast fans brought the case to the attention of Odessa, Texas, police chief Michael Gerke (the podcast listener’s father), Reyos was exonerated in 2023 and awarded $80,000 per year of his incarceration by the state of Texas, amounting to almost $2 million.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 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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Oslo, NorwayReuters — The stepson of Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon was found guilty on Monday of rape and domestic violence and sentenced to four years in prison after a seven-week trial that has further dented the royal family’s once picture-perfect image.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Captivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivity. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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