as in prisoners
one that has been taken and held in confinement
the captives in the concentration camp had devised a daring plan of escape
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Recent Examples of captives
The regulatory environment at the state level, where insurance is regulated, continues to evolve and support growth in the use of captives.
—
Jason Phillips, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
The proposal Hamas has accepted stipulates a temporary 60-day ceasefire, during which the Israeli army would relocate to allow the entry of humanitarian aid, while half of the 50 Israeli captives would be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners within the same time frame, Al-Jazeera reported.
—Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
On Friday, some of the hostage families said they were briefed by Israeli military officials that the operation could risk the captives’ lives.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Enthralling both fellow captives and the Bey of Algiers, Cervantes, his spirit unbroken, also imagines a daring escape plan.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
Israeli estimates indicate that 48 captives remain in the Strip.
—Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 30 Aug. 2025
By nightfall, Liat and Aviv were captives in Gaza along with 250 other people – 12 of whom, like Liat, were American citizens.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Since the war began, Hamas has remained closely allied with Islamic Jihad, which as of this summer continued to hold one of the remaining Israeli captives, Rom Braslavski.
—Leila Seurat, Foreign Affairs, 26 Aug. 2025
Netanyahu has argued that the offensive is the surest way to free captives and crush Hamas.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 23 Aug. 2025
Jason Phillips, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
The proposal Hamas has accepted stipulates a temporary 60-day ceasefire, during which the Israeli army would relocate to allow the entry of humanitarian aid, while half of the 50 Israeli captives would be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners within the same time frame, Al-Jazeera reported.
—Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
On Friday, some of the hostage families said they were briefed by Israeli military officials that the operation could risk the captives’ lives.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Enthralling both fellow captives and the Bey of Algiers, Cervantes, his spirit unbroken, also imagines a daring escape plan.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
Israeli estimates indicate that 48 captives remain in the Strip.
—Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 30 Aug. 2025
By nightfall, Liat and Aviv were captives in Gaza along with 250 other people – 12 of whom, like Liat, were American citizens.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Since the war began, Hamas has remained closely allied with Islamic Jihad, which as of this summer continued to hold one of the remaining Israeli captives, Rom Braslavski.
—Leila Seurat, Foreign Affairs, 26 Aug. 2025
Netanyahu has argued that the offensive is the surest way to free captives and crush Hamas.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captives
prisoners
Noun
-
Bush described this as a way to support employment, family ties, and stability, recognizing that reentry affects not just former prisoners but also public safety.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The church, which served unhoused people, recently released prisoners, and other vulnerable populations, left an unofficial halfway house in its wake.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Captives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captives. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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