hostage

noun
UK: /ˈhɒstɪdʒ/
US: /ˈhɑːstɪdʒ/

  1. A person who is captured and held prisoner by someone, who threatens to kill them if people do not do what they want.

    1. The robber took the bank manager as a hostage. [ ] [ ]
    2. Several hostages were released unharmed after police negotiated with the gunman. [ ] [ ]

  2. Someone who is unwillingly prevented from acting freely or making independent decisions.

    1. The project became a hostage to political infighting. [ ] [ ]
    2. She felt like a hostage to her demanding job and overwhelming responsibilities. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

captive detainee prisoner
hostage verb

  1. To take someone hostage.

    1. The criminals threatened to hostage the family. [ ] [ ]
    2. They hostage the children to force their parents to cooperate with their demands. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "hostage" in English means: A person who is captured and held prisoner by someone, who threatens to kill them if people do not do what they want., Someone who is unwillingly prevented from acting freely or making independent decisions..

The phonetic transcription of "hostage" is /ˈhɒstɪdʒ/ in British English and /ˈhɑːstɪdʒ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "hostage": captive, detainee, prisoner.

Example usage of "hostage": "The robber took the bank manager as a hostage.". More examples on the page.