captivity

noun

cap·​tiv·​i·​ty kap-ˈti-və-tē How to pronounce captivity (audio)
1
: the state of being captive
some birds thrive in captivity
2
obsolete : a group of captives

Examples of captivity in a Sentence

The prisoners were released from captivity. the wildlife refuge raises endangered species in captivity and then releases them into the wild
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Naama Levy, one of the four female IDF soldiers released from Hamas captivity on Saturday, is speaking out for the first time. Rachel Wolf, Fox News, 28 Jan. 2025 On their 477th — and last — day of captivity, the four young women, who had been captured in their pajamas, were paraded in soldiers' uniforms before standing on a stage at the head of the square. Willem Marx, NPR, 25 Jan. 2025 Around nine hours earlier, Hamas had freed three Israeli hostages in Gaza after 15 months of captivity. Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 23 Jan. 2025 Within hours of her release from captivity in Gaza, Emily Damari’s hand had become a new Israeli icon. Philissa Cramer, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for captivity 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of captivity was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near captivity

Cite this Entry

“Captivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/captivity. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

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