captive (B1)
noun, adjective
Pronunciation: /ˈkæptɪv/
Definition
A person or animal that is confined or imprisoned.
Examples
The soldiers took many captives during the war.
The zoo's captive animals seemed well cared for.
She felt like a captive audience to his long, boring story.
How to Use captive
- take captive (phrasal verb)
- To capture and hold someone as a prisoner. — "The pirates took the ship's crew captive."
- hold captive (phrasal verb)
- To keep someone imprisoned or confined. — "The terrorists held the diplomats captive."
- captive audience (idiom)
- A group of people who are forced to listen to someone or watch something. — "The speaker knew he had a captive audience during the mandatory training."
Synonyms of captive
Words with a similar meaning to captive:
Antonyms of captive
Words with the opposite meaning to captive:
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