hostage

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.

Thirty-one civilians held hostage following a Sunday morning church attack in north-west Nigeria have been rescued, the army has said.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

Wordle even helped to end a 17-hour hostage ordeal and became the most Googled word of 2022.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

Coyle, from Colorado, was arrested in January 2025, according to the Foley Foundation, which advocates for the release of Americans taken hostage or arbitrarily detained abroad.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

The economic upheaval, and his response to the Iranian hostage crisis, were the biggest factors in his 1980 loss to Ronald Reagan.

From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026

Bloom, who seemed somehow more approachable and human than before, began by talking about the most stressful scenario a CO could ever possibly face: being held hostage.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover