as in internment
the act of confining or the state of being confined
the wildlife refuge raises endangered species in captivity and then releases them into the wild
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of captivity
Would Rhaenyra’s Syrax — a formidably sized dragon, albeit one raised in captivity — be able to torch them all?
—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
22 June 2026
Martian spends the first half of Season 2 trading information with British intelligence in exchange for orchestrating Sami’s safe return from captivity.
—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
22 June 2026
Will Matt Damon suffer in his captivity, or enjoy it?
—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
21 June 2026
There is also the mystery around the captivity of Otto Hightower, Alicent’s father.
—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for captivity
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
22 June 2026
Martian spends the first half of Season 2 trading information with British intelligence in exchange for orchestrating Sami’s safe return from captivity.
—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
22 June 2026
Will Matt Damon suffer in his captivity, or enjoy it?
—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
21 June 2026
There is also the mystery around the captivity of Otto Hightower, Alicent’s father.
—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for captivity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivity
Noun
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During the special, Klepper travels to a peaceful nude bike rally against ICE internment camps holding people without due process.
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In California, language related to the internment of Japanese Americans at the Manzanar National Historic Site, as well as the history of Indigenous people in Death Valley and Muir Woods came under scrutiny.
Noun
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But after his imprisonment, Lilburne’s Proposition became the defining cause of the radical Leveller movement, which subsequently dedicated itself to unlocking all of the revolutionary possibilities lurking in the word equal.
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Badea, who was involved in the conspiracy for less time, was handed eight years’ imprisonment.
Noun
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In the movie Invictus, Nelson Mandela refers to the poem by the same name as something that sustained him during his 27 years of incarceration.
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Layne’s group has pushed county leaders to fund a continuous drug addiction treatment program, expanding access for those who need it both during and after incarceration.
Noun
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In May, they were convicted of first-degree murder, as well as additional charges of confinement, assault with a weapon and failing to provide the necessaries of life.
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Prosecutors in the case argued the one-year sentence is not enough, saying he should have been committed to state prison and received a longer period of confinement.
Noun
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The pair, who were detained in March, had already spent four months in prison prior to the punishment, which ultimately reduced their sentence from 25 lashes to 21, the AP said.
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Taylor, 30, now faces a potential sentence of life in prison.
Cite this Entry
“Captivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivity. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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