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Definitions

hostage

[hos-tij] / ˈhɒs tɪdʒ /
NOUN
person held captive until captor's demand is met
Synonyms
Antonyms


Example Sentences

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Bakersfield City Hall, the local police headquarters, nearby buildings and multiple roads were closed during the hostage situation, as the police department's negotiation team began contacting the suspect via telephone.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

"The era in which a terrorist group held an entire nation hostage is coming to an end."

From Barron's • May 24, 2026

Embassy in Tehran and held dozens of Americans hostage for 444 days.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

The new risk is different and, in some ways, harder to manage: It assumes that civilian power infrastructure becomes a military asset, a hostage or a weapon simply by existing in a conflict zone.

From Salon • May 21, 2026

He ran up the stoop and they all greeted one another as if a hostage standoff had just ended.

From "Shelter (Book One): A Mickey Bolitar Novel" by Harlan Coben




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