prisoner

noun

pris·​on·​er ˈpriz-nər 

ˈpri-zᵊn-ər

1

: a person deprived of liberty and kept under involuntary restraint, confinement, or custody

especially : one on trial or in prison

2

: someone restrained as if in prison

a prisoner of her own conscience

see also:

take-no-prisoners take no prisoners

Synonyms of prisoner

• captive
• capture

Examples of prisoner in a Sentence

He was captured by rebel forces and kept as their prisoner for several months before they set him free.

The families were held prisoner for four days.

Recent Examples on the Web

Executions are carried out in secrecy in Japan, where prisoners are not informed of their fate until the morning of their hanging. — CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026

Wars come and go, Napoleon rises and falls and these two men remain prisoners of a beef neither seems capable of escaping. — Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026

The government maintains that under existing rules, prisoners are provided medical treatment in jail and can be transferred to government hospitals when necessary. — ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026

The government insists that prisoners are provided with proper medical care and sent to hospital if required. — Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing prisoner

• co-prisoner
• political prisoner
• prisoner of conscience
• prisoner of war
• prisoner's base
• take (someone) prisoner

Kids Definition

prisoner

noun

pris·​on·​er ˈpriz-nər 

-ᵊn-ər

: a person who has been captured or locked up

Legal Definition

prisoner

noun

pris·​on·​er

: a person deprived of liberty and kept under involuntary restraint, confinement, or custody

especially : one under arrest, awaiting trial, on trial, or serving a prison sentence