captivity

noun

kap-ˈti-və-tē How to pronounce captivity (audio)
Definition of captivitynext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of captivity So with the specter of extinction looming once again, wildlife officials took them out of the wild and into captivity. — Benji Jones, Vox, 26 Feb. 2025 Driving the news: Four of the hostages who were released on Saturday were kidnapped on October 7 and held in captivity for 505 days: Tal Shoham, Omer Wenkert, Eliya Cohen amd Omer Shem-Tov. — Barak Ravid, Axios, 22 Feb. 2025 After he was released from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip. — Wafaa Shurafa, arkansasonline.com, 23 Feb. 2025 During her brief captivity, Mari and Ben commiserate over how messed up their situation is. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for captivity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivity
  1. internment
  2. incarceration
  3. confinement
  4. prison
Noun
  • But unlike in the US, where most of the internment camps were closed by the end of 1945, Japanese Canadians were kept from returning to British Columbia until 1949.
    — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Even more directly, the Exclusion Zone bears a striking resemblance to the Japanese American internment camps of World War II.
    — Tony Bradley, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of internment
Noun
  • My experience with Colorado law tells me this legislation will benefit both public safety and justice by ensuring that our law enforcement resources and taxpayer dollars are not wasted on unnecessary incarceration.
    — Jay Fisher, The Denver Post, 13 Mar. 2025
  • One of the key purposes of incarceration—aside from accountability—is to prepare individuals for their return to society.
    — Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of incarceration
Noun
  • Biden commuted Peltier’s sentence, ordering the remainder of his sentence to be served in home confinement.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Weinstein, 72, has been diagnosed with cancer and has sued over the conditions of his confinement.
    — Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of confinement
Noun
  • Three days later, his immigration attorney was able to reach an ICE official who confirmed that his client was in a prison in another country.
    — Brian Bennett, TIME, 21 Mar. 2025
  • One of the five men convicted in the 2022 drugging and robbery of patrons at gay bars in Manhattan was slapped with eight years in prison on Thursday.
    — Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of prison

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captivities
captivity
captor
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Cite this Entry

“Captivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivity. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of captivity for Spanish Speakers

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