Word
hostage
Meanings
a person who is held by someone as a guarantee that demands will be met
someone or something forced to depend on conditions beyond their control (used in phrases like 'be held hostage')
Definition
A hostage is a person held by someone to force another person or group to do something.
A hostage is someone who is kept under guard and not allowed to leave. The captor uses the hostage as leverage to demand money, safe passage, or another concession. In news and formal writing, it often appears in contexts involving crime, conflict, or negotiations.
Examples
- The negotiator spoke calmly, trying to secure the hostage’s release without escalating tensions.
- I was horrified to learn that a hostage had been taken during the raid on the warehouse.
- She followed updates closely, hoping the hostage would return home safely after the standoff ended.
- They refused to publish the photos, worried it could endanger the hostage during the negotiation.
- You could hear the urgency in his voice as he described the hostage situation to the reporters.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse "hostage" with "host" or "guest"; a hostage is held against their will.
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