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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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An online petition in January 2026 called for Hashemi's deportation from the US due to his mother's involvement in the hostage crisis.

From BBC Aug. 19, 2026

“Prices stay hostage to Hormuz transit data and any signal from the Iran-Oman channel. A durable reopening would cap upside, while further escalation points toward a retest of the $95 to $100/barrel band for Brent.”

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 18, 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 Killing House was a fake—a mock-up of an embassy used to train the SAS in the art of hostage release.

From "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz

Ratcliffe has had some success dealing with the Kremlin, such as in helping secure the release of American hostages in Russia, U.S. officials said.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 27, 2026

"The troops engaged the terrorists with effective fire, forcing them to abandon the victims and flee into adjoining bushes," he said, noting that all the hostages had been recovered without any casualties.

From BBC Aug. 9, 2026

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

“Once he became Middle East envoy and was given responsibility for the hostages, he became one of the most famous people in Israel overnight,” an Israeli journalist who has covered him told me.

From Slate Jul. 22, 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other hand, John Donvan conceded that there is a limit to living in the past—to hostaging yourself, for instance, to outdated agreements and other generations’ crimes.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

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

From Time Magazine Archive

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

From Time Magazine Archive




Vocabulary lists containing hostage


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