as in imprisoned
taken and held prisoner
the captive soldiers were treated humanely by the guards
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in prisoner
one that has been taken and held in confinement
the captives in the concentration camp had devised a daring plan of escape
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of captive
Vaibhav Vats, The Atlantic, 21 May 2025
Kept captive by the Painter, both Hong-rang and In-hoe were subjected to horrific abuses.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 16 May 2025
Juwayriah Wright, Time, 19 May 2025
But the Palestinian armed group has rejected Israel’s conditions, demanding an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal in exchange for releasing the captives.
—Aaron Boxerman, New York Times, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for captive
Adjective
The crisis and its aftermath have demonstrated how India’s national security has become almost entirely captive to burnishing the personality cult of its leader.
—Vaibhav Vats, The Atlantic, 21 May 2025
Kept captive by the Painter, both Hong-rang and In-hoe were subjected to horrific abuses.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 16 May 2025
Noun
Nineteen months of war, triggered by the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks that killed approximately 1,200 people inside Israel and took some 250 captive, has resulted in over 50,000 Palestinian deaths and the destruction of much of Gaza—including the systems that fed residents during previous wars.
—Juwayriah Wright, Time, 19 May 2025
But the Palestinian armed group has rejected Israel’s conditions, demanding an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal in exchange for releasing the captives.
—Aaron Boxerman, New York Times, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for captive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captive
prisoner
Noun
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Around 30,000 children are among those being held as prisoners.—
Asher Notheis,
The Washington Examiner,
1 June 2025
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Whether or not Melendez or any of these men ever walk free, what was once California’s most notorious lockup is now a place that offers them the chance to change and provides the most elusive of emotions for prisoners — hope.—
Anita Chabria,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Captive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captive. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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