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
In this photo released by the Israeli Army, Emily Damari, right, and her mother Mandy use a smart phone near kibbutz Reim, southern Israel after Emily was released from captivity by Hamas militants in Gaza, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025.
—
Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy, Melanie Lidman and Sam Mednick The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 20 Jan. 2025
Of the 251 hostages seized by Hamas in the opening stages of the conflict, 98 are believed to remain in the group's captivity.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
One snake was caught in the late 1980s, kept in captivity until 2006 and then donated to a German museum.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 13 Jan. 2025
Learn more about some of the best new discoveries:
4-foot-long predator, kept in captivity for over a decade, discovered as new species
In Ethiopia, a 4-foot-long snake known as Broadley’s African house snake was identified as a new species after being kept in captivity for years.
—Stories By Real-Time News Team, With Ai Summarization, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for captivity 
Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy, Melanie Lidman and Sam Mednick The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 20 Jan. 2025
Of the 251 hostages seized by Hamas in the opening stages of the conflict, 98 are believed to remain in the group's captivity.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
One snake was caught in the late 1980s, kept in captivity until 2006 and then donated to a German museum.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 13 Jan. 2025
Learn more about some of the best new discoveries:
4-foot-long predator, kept in captivity for over a decade, discovered as new species
In Ethiopia, a 4-foot-long snake known as Broadley’s African house snake was identified as a new species after being kept in captivity for years.
—Stories By Real-Time News Team, With Ai Summarization, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for captivity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captivity
Noun
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China's ongoing crackdown in Xinjiang has elicited condemnation from the U.S. and a number of its allies, which accuse the People's Republic of indiscriminately detaining Uyghurs in mass internment camps.—
John Yoo and John Shu,
Newsweek,
23 Jan. 2025
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The film also recounts how his father paved the way in making films about the Japanese internment camp experience.—
Randy Myers,
The Mercury News,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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He was sentenced to seven days’ incarceration at a DUI education center, two years’ probation, a $350 fine and payment of court fees.—
Nardine Saad,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Jan. 2025
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After her two months of incarceration, Hemphill got out and immediately created a place on X Spaces, previously known as Twitter Spaces, for those involved in the Capitol riot.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Some of those actions don’t fall under the CRA, including Biden’s sweeping order to grant clemency to nearly 1,500 Americans released from prison and placed on home confinement during the pandemic.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
8 Jan. 2025
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Stewart donned the status symbol to her trial for lying during an insider-trading investigation, at which she was convicted and sentenced to a five-month stint in prison followed by home confinement.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA TODAY,
30 Dec. 2024
Noun
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An Indiana woman was sentenced Friday to six years in prison for the death of her 10-year-old son nearly a year ago.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
19 Jan. 2025
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He was convicted of a drug offense in 1994 and served eight years in prison.—
Colleen Long,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near captivity
Cite this Entry
“Captivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captivity. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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