captivity
noun
cap·tiv·i·ty
kap-ˈti-və-tē 
Synonyms
Examples of captivity in a Sentence
The prisoners were released from captivity.
the wildlife refuge raises endangered species in captivity and then releases them into the wild
Recent Examples on the Web
About 25 years ago, 126 pandas lived in captivity, and today there are more than 700.
—
Andrew Keatts, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024
This Arctic fox’s tale is common among many wild animals held in captivity.
—Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Oct. 2024
The investigation has uncovered allegations of injuries and near-fatal encounters going back years, many times involving large exotic animals kept in captivity.
—Justin Klawans, The Week Us, theweek, 15 Oct. 2024
Fifty-five days into her captivity, Mia was freed in a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.
—Anna Gordon, TIME, 7 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for captivity 
Andrew Keatts, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024
This Arctic fox’s tale is common among many wild animals held in captivity.
—Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Oct. 2024
The investigation has uncovered allegations of injuries and near-fatal encounters going back years, many times involving large exotic animals kept in captivity.
—Justin Klawans, The Week Us, theweek, 15 Oct. 2024
Fifty-five days into her captivity, Mia was freed in a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.
—Anna Gordon, TIME, 7 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for captivity
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'captivity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near captivity
Cite this Entry
“Captivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/captivity. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share