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.
The war erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, when the Hamas terrorist group staged a widespread ambush in Israel, killing 1,200 people, including children, and taking 251 hostages, with about 20 still held in captivity. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 8 June 2025 More recently, a 75-year-old man was killed by a cassowary at an exotic animal breeding farm in Florida, where the bird was being kept in captivity. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025 Angela’s Gilead mother, Naomi (Ever Carradine), is present and consensually gives the child back to Janine after Janine has also been rescued herself from Gilead captivity and returned to June. Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 29 May 2025 According to Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, more than 16,000 Ukrainian civilians are also in Russian captivity. Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 23 May 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

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Cite this Entry

“Captivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/captivity. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.

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