Meaning & use
hostage
Last updated
A person seized or held to secure the fulfillment of a condition, such as a demand or ransom.
See it in a sentence
The negotiators worked for hours to secure the hostages' release.
Political disagreements have effectively held the budget bill hostage.
A note on using this word
Hostage is also used figuratively, as in 'held hostage,' to describe any situation controlled or blocked by an external demand.
Words with a similar meaning
captiveprisoner
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
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