hostage
noun
a person given or held as security for the fulfillment of certain conditions or terms, promises, etc., by another.
hostages
-
pluralof hostage.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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 first phase saw the release of all remaining hostages taken during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Friday, the two hostages were released, and at 2:30 a.m. the Hendricksons exited the trailer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
By early Sunday morning, after additional stops in Newfoundland—where a portion of the hostages were released—and Iceland, the plane landed in Paris.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
He has urged the returned hostages to tell friends and family about their horrific experiences, he says, to discourage them from setting out on the same journey.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026
There was a bearded young Wickersham in a large photo after the incident was over, acting as spokesman for the just- released hostages.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
