captivity

noun

cap·​tiv·​i·​ty kap-ˈti-və-tē 

1

: the state of being captive

some birds thrive in captivity

2

obsolete : a group of captives

Synonyms

• confinement
• immurement
• impoundment
• imprisonment
• incarceration
• internment
• prison

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

In the lawsuit filed Tuesday, Miami-Dade cites critical inspection reports from the U..S. Department of Agriculture, which regulates animals held in captivity for entertainment purposes. —Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 25 June 2024

Life The impact of stress on orcas held in captivity A new study lays out the case for the damaging effects of stress on orcas living in tanks. —Big Think, 24 June 2024

Instead, Andrey Kozlov’s parents recounted in an emotional interview Thursday, Israeli commandos stormed the Gaza building where he was being held in a daring raid to free their son from eight months of Hamas captivity. —Shira Pinson, NBC News, 14 June 2024

The show’s first season ended on with Gosselaar’s character breaking out of captivity, promising to kill Lacey. —Andy Swift, TVLine, 14 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing captivity

• in captivity