captivity
Americannoun
-
the state or period of being held, imprisoned, enslaved, or confined.
- Synonyms:
- incarceration, confinement, imprisonment, subjection, thralldom, slavery, servitude, bondage
- Antonyms:
- freedom
-
(initial capital letter) Babylonian captivity.
noun
-
the condition of being captive; imprisonment
-
the period of imprisonment
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of captivity
1275–1325; Middle English captivite (< Old French ) < Latin captīvitās. See captive, -ity
Explanation
Captivity is the condition of being trapped or confined. Animals that are kept in zoos are in captivity. A prisoner is in captivity, and a kidnapping victim is also in captivity. If you catch a firefly and keep it in a jar, its life will be one of captivity until you let it go. When you're imprisoned or enslaved, you're captive. Both words come from a Latin source, captivus, "caught" or "taken prisoner," from the root capere, "to take, hold, or seize."
Vocabulary lists containing captivity
Charlotte's Web
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"The Tragedy of Macbeth," Vocabulary from Act 1
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"Wild Animals Aren't Pets" and "Let People Own Exotic Animals"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Nigerian government announced the release of 130 more students on December 21, with a presidential spokesman saying: "None Left in Captivity".
From Barron's • Dec. 25, 2025
"Captivity does things to your body that your body remembers. You see all these layers. It takes time to see what happened to their bodies, to their souls," she said.
From BBC • Oct. 11, 2025
The book, “Mating in Captivity: In Search of Erotic Intelligence,” was published in 2006.
From New York Times • Mar. 26, 2023
Her latest book is “Animals’ Best Friends: Putting Compassion to Work for Animals in Captivity and in the Wild.”
From Washington Post • May 13, 2022
There is much talk upon the Road of Boston & its Captivity, for Parliament’s Army hides within — silent — mum — & its Citizens trapped, while without, our Numbers grow.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
