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Definitions

hostage

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


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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Maybe I associate too much with loving, devoted parents and not enough with intellectuals who think parents are holding their kids hostage.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 13, 2026

It seems like every industry is being held hostage by artificial intelligence.

From MarketWatch Aug. 7, 2026

Dinner should not be held hostage by the farmers market.

From Salon Aug. 4, 2026

The special enforcement bureau, which handles high-risk tactical operations like barricaded suspects and hostage situations, has been at the center of several recent controversies.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 4, 2026

"Would she? The noble Catelyn Tully of Riverrun murder a hostage? I think . - . not."

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

The first phase saw the release of all remaining hostages taken during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 31, 2026

Burns helped burnish Gannon’s credentials, personally telling the prince that the operative was the American in the room as Israel negotiated with Hamas to release its hostages in the aftermath of the Oct.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 19, 2026

Friday, the two hostages were released, and at 2:30 a.m. the Hendricksons exited the trailer.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 18, 2026

By early Sunday morning, after additional stops in Newfoundland—where a portion of the hostages were released—and Iceland, the plane landed in Paris.

From Slate Jul. 7, 2026

Outside in the world, volcanoes erupted, governments rose and collapsed and bartered for hostages, rockets exploded, walls fell.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

On the other hand, John Donvan conceded that there is a limit to living in the past—to hostaging yourself, for instance, to outdated agreements and other generations’ crimes.

From Slate Jan. 11, 2012

Q. Have you expressed that view of hostaging to President Bush?

From Time Magazine Archive

In their minds, hostaging means trading -- and trading means talking.

From Time Magazine Archive




Vocabulary lists containing hostage


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