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.
People in Tenafly, N.J., watch a live broadcast in anticipation of the release of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, a Tenafly native, from Hamas captivity in Gaza, on Monday, May 12, 2025. Amira El-Fekki‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025 Zelenskyy said in a post on X that some of the Ukrainians released had been in Russian captivity since 2022. Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 4 July 2025 Madsen played the kid's foster dad, Glen, who helps save the orca from captivity. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 3 July 2025 His own recollections of captivity were a jumble of sometimes untraceable sensations. Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 14 June 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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