noun
hostage
HOS-tihj
noun
1
A person held captive to force someone else to do, or not do, something.
"The gunman took two bank employees hostage."
"Negotiators worked for hours to secure the hostages' release."
2
Something that limits or restricts a person's freedom of action, used figuratively.
"His health problems held his career hostage for years."
How to Use Hostage
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA person held captive to pressure someone else, or figuratively, anything that restricts your freedom.
Common pairings
take hostage
hold hostage
hostage situation
hostage negotiator
Word Forms
hostaged past tense, hostages plural, hostages singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “hostage”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The gunman took two bank employees _____.
Etymology
From Old French hostage, likely tracing back either to hoste ("host," via the idea of someone taken into "lodging" turning into captivity) or to a Latin word for "captive."