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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Recent Examples of captivity
On the same day, in the Nation & World section, there was the gorgeous photo of Fatou from the Berlin Zoo, who is the zoo’s oldest resident and the world’s oldest gorilla in captivity.
—
Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
Rachel and Jon worked tirelessly to bring Hersh and the other hostages home, but on the 328th day of his captivity, Hersh was executed in a tunnel in Gaza.
—Anderson Cooper, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
The rescue came about after Jordan Turpin — who was 17 at the time — escaped from the home and told authorities about their captivity and abuse.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
After his death in 1993, the hippos escaped captivity and began reproducing in the wild.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for captivity
Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
Rachel and Jon worked tirelessly to bring Hersh and the other hostages home, but on the 328th day of his captivity, Hersh was executed in a tunnel in Gaza.
—Anderson Cooper, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
The rescue came about after Jordan Turpin — who was 17 at the time — escaped from the home and told authorities about their captivity and abuse.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
After his death in 1993, the hippos escaped captivity and began reproducing in the wild.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for captivity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivity
Noun
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Among the most painful letters are those between Scheidt’s father and his brother, who would also spend time in internment camps.—
Andrew Silow-Carroll,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
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The few works in the show depicting Stojka’s experiences before and after internment capture the particularity of Romani life.—
Ben Davis,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Eldan's organization worked with a state senator to help write and pass a law in Delaware that provides compensation for wrongful imprisonment, as well as a stipend and help with housing, food benefits, and health and dental insurance.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
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Prominent Polish journalist Andrzej Poczobut was freed Tuesday in a 10-person prisoner swap involving Belarus and Poland, ending his eight-year imprisonment.—
Claudia Ciobanu,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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While the median home price in the Baltimore area is around $360,000, the median asset wealth for a Black family in the city unaffected by incarceration is approximately $2,700.—
Izabela Engel,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Apr. 2026
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Another challenge came in the form of how to describe three and a half years, beginning in March 1942, that Mirikitani spent at the Tule Lake incarceration camp in Northern California, alongside thousands of other Japanese American citizens.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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She was initially ordered to serve her sentence at her daughter’s home, but a 2019 court ruling placed her behind bars for violating the terms of her confinement.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
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Suhail pleaded not guilty on Wednesday and was released on $5 million bond, ordered to remain on home confinement.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Four others indicted in the case were given sentences of as much as six years in prison, with one woman getting a 10-month sentence, suspended for three years.—
Debby Wu,
Bloomberg,
27 Apr. 2026
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As part of Lololee’s deal, federal prosecutors agreed to recommend a prison term at the low end of the sentencing range, according to the court filing.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Captivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivity. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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