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• ransom
  ransom

  noun

  the redemption of a prisoner or kidnapped person, of captured goods, etc., for a price.
• Ransom
  Ransom

  noun

  John Crowe 1888–1974, U.S. poet, critic, and teacher.

ransom

¹ American  

[ran-suhm] / ˈræn səm /

noun

• ransoms
  plural

1. the redemption of a prisoner or kidnapped person, of captured goods, etc., for a price.

   Synonyms:

   release, liberation, deliverance

2. the sum or price paid or demanded.

3. a means of deliverance or rescue from punishment for sin, especially the payment of a redemptive fine.

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verb (used with object)

• ransoms,
  present (3rd person singular)
• ransomed,
  past participle,  past
• ransoming
  present participle

1. to redeem from captivity, bondage, detention, etc., by paying a demanded price.

2. to release or restore on receipt of a ransom.

3. to deliver or redeem from punishment for sin.

Ransom ² American  

[ran-suhm] / ˈræn səm /

noun

1. John Crowe 1888–1974, U.S. poet, critic, and teacher.

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ransom ¹ British  

/ ˈrænsəm /

noun

1. the release of captured prisoners, property, etc, on payment of a stipulated price

2. the price demanded or stipulated for such a release

3. rescue or redemption of any kind

4. 1. to keep (prisoners, property, etc) in confinement until payment for their release is made or received

   2. to attempt to force (a person or persons) to comply with one's demands

5. a very large amount of money or valuables

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verb

1. to pay a stipulated price and so obtain the release of (prisoners, property, etc)

2. to set free (prisoners, property, etc) upon receiving the payment demanded

3. to redeem; rescue

   Christ ransomed men from sin

Ransom ² British  

/ ˈrænsəm /

noun

1. John Crowe . 1888–1974, US poet and critic

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ransom Idioms  

1. see king's ransom.

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Usage

What does ransom mean? A ransom is the money or goods demanded to be paid in exchange for the release of a captured or kidnapped person or piece of property. Ransom also commonly refers to the amount of money that the captor demands. It can also refer to such an exchange or the act of releasing a person or property for a price, as in The duke’s ransom depended on his wife gathering all the money demanded. Ransom can also be used as a verb meaning to get a person or property released by paying a price, as in I had to ransom my toy from the bully for $10. It can also mean to release a captive after receiving a ransom, as in Each prisoner was ransomed for $500. Less commonly, ransom can be used in a religious context to mean to redeem or deliver someone from punishment for sin, as Christians believe Jesus did. A person who holds someone in exchange for a ransom is called a ransomer. Ransomware is software that is illegally put on a computer and prevents users from accessing their data without paying a ransom. Example: The kidnapper demanded a hefty ransom before he released the princess to her father.

Synonym Usage

See redeem.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• ransomer
  noun
• unransomed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• ransoms
  plural

Participles

• ransoming
  present
• ransomed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• ransom
  simple
• ransoms
  simple
• have ransomed
  perfect
• has ransomed
  perfect
• am ransoming
  progressive
• are ransoming
  progressive
• is ransoming
  progressive
• have been ransoming
  perfect progressive
• has been ransoming
  perfect progressive

Past

• ransomed
  simple
• had ransomed
  perfect
• was ransoming
  progressive
• were ransoming
  progressive
• had been ransoming
  perfect progressive

Future

• will ransom
  simple
• will have ransomed
  perfect
• will be ransoming
  progressive
• will have been ransoming
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of ransom

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English noun ranso(u)n, rançoun, from Old French rançon, reançon from Late Latin redēmptiōn- (stem of redēmptiō ) redemption; verb derivative of the noun

Explanation

If you’re ever kidnapped, you’d probably be worth millions in ransom. Ransom is the money demanded for the release of a captive. You’ve probably heard the phrase “held for ransom.” That means someone has been captured and is being held prisoner until a sum of money is delivered to the captors. Ransom can refer to the money paid, but it can also be a verb that describes paying for the release of someone being held. If you have to ransom your best friend, that means you’re paying his captors to release him.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ransom Ransom ransoms ransomed ransoming

She arbitrates among the parties, first for outright dismissal and then for a more reasonable, so to speak, ransom.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

Ramírez secured a large ransom payment, but the death of al-Azmarly seems to have soured the terrorist’s relationship with Libya’s dictator, Moammar Gadhafi.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

Weeks passed before a partner organisation in Lebanon contacted the Serbian conservationist and said Feliks' unnamed captors had demanded a ransom.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

The sheriff’s office asked anyone with information about Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance or the ransom notes to contact investigators, saying even seemingly minor details could prove significant as the search continues.

From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026

He looked like a son of kings, one whose parents could pay a great ransom.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Ransom payments are estimated to run into millions of dollars annually, according to official data.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

When business owner Weld Ransom sold his architectural-design firm, PlanForce, to Teamshares Inc.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026

“It is encouraging to see the strategic initiatives we put in place at the start of this year driving an improved performance,” Chief Executive Andy Ransom said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 5, 2026

Raymond James analyst John Ransom wrote in September that Oscar executives had told him that it “sees limited utility in a one-year reprieve.”

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2025

A great football, track, and baseball star, Sam Ransom, traveled all the way from Minneapolis to sign up with the Eighth, and a track star, Binga Dismond, left his medical school studies to enlist.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield

It was definitely not cheap paying off these pirates, whether it was ransoms or tariffs.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

A 2022 law criminalised the payment of ransoms, but enforcement is difficult and families often resort to paying to secure the release of relatives.

From BBC ● Feb. 24, 2026

Paying ransoms has been made illegal in Nigeria, although there are allegations this ban has been widely ignored.

From BBC ● Nov. 29, 2025

In fact, it is illegal to pay ransoms in Nigeria.

From BBC ● Nov. 29, 2025

The King of England had ordered that there were to be no ransoms in hit sort of battle.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

King Richard was captured on his way back from the Middle East and ransomed for 150,000 silver marks—approximately three times the annual income of the English Crown.

From Barron's ● Mar. 19, 2026

“You get threatened and ransomed with a shutdown,” Mr. Massie said in an interview in late April describing the plan.

From New York Times ● Jun. 1, 2023

After two were released for medical reasons and three others ransomed by a third party for an undisclosed amount, the remaining 12 went free Dec. 16 after what they described as an overnight escape.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 14, 2022

He was eventually freed, returned to Gambia, and ransomed fellow Muslims who were enslaved.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 18, 2021

I never distinguished myself again, and each defeat meant the loss of another charger arid another suit of jousting armor, which must needs he ransomed or replaced.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

The Talmud, a set of commentaries on the Torah, specifically condones ransoming of hostages as a communal responsibility, and many ancient scholars considered being hostage a fate worse than death.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 4, 2023

Experts say the trend towards ransoming sensitive private information could affect companies not just operationally but through reputation damage.

From BBC ● Mar. 30, 2021

Beric also promises to reunite Arya with her mother and brother in Riverrun, albeit by ransoming her off.

From The Verge ● Apr. 25, 2019

Simone’s situation sounds dramatic enough to hold an episode of “Homeland” — in fact, the ransoming of Carrie Mathison’s top-secret computer files drove a plot point on the Showtime series last season.

From Fox News ● Oct. 12, 2018

He died in 1725, and five years later the property was estimated to be worth about £22,000, and the interest on half the amount was to be devoted to ransoming his countrymen from slavery.

From England in the Days of Old by William Andrews