1
a
: a person held by one party in a conflict as a pledge pending the fulfillment of an agreement
b
: a person taken by force to secure the taker's demands
2
: one that is involuntarily controlled by an outside influence
Examples of hostage in a Sentence
The terrorists demanded a plane and a pilot in exchange for the hostages.
The hostage crisis is now entering its second week.
The passengers were taken hostage.
They were held hostage for several days.
Recent Examples on the Web
Yehuda Cohen, whose son, Nimrod Cohen, has been held hostage by Hamas terrorists since Oct. 7, 2023, pleads with President Trump to win the IDF soldier's freedom.
—
Fox News Staff, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
After being held hostage and shooting her captor in Episode 7, Heather (Margarita Levieva) is invited to a black and white ball by Mayor Fisk himself — an invitation that Matt rightfully views as a threat.
—Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2025
Huckabee will arrive in Israel at one of the most fraught moments, where efforts are stalled to reimpose a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and secure the release of hostages held since Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack.
—The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025
Tragedy strikes when terrorists invade the hotel where the event is being held and she is taken hostage and later brutally murdered.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hostage
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Fox News Staff, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
After being held hostage and shooting her captor in Episode 7, Heather (Margarita Levieva) is invited to a black and white ball by Mayor Fisk himself — an invitation that Matt rightfully views as a threat.
—Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2025
Huckabee will arrive in Israel at one of the most fraught moments, where efforts are stalled to reimpose a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and secure the release of hostages held since Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack.
—The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025
Tragedy strikes when terrorists invade the hotel where the event is being held and she is taken hostage and later brutally murdered.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hostage
Cite this Entry
“Hostage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hostage. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hostage
noun
hos·tage
ˈhäs-tij 
: a person held captive as a pledge that promises will be kept or terms met by another
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