hostage

noun

hos·​tage ˈhä-stij 

1

a

: a person held by one party in a conflict as a pledge pending the fulfillment of an agreement

b

: a person taken by force to secure the taker's demands

2

: one that is involuntarily controlled by an outside influence

Examples of hostage in a Sentence

The terrorists demanded a plane and a pilot in exchange for the hostages.

The hostage crisis is now entering its second week.

The passengers were taken hostage.

They were held hostage for several days.

Recent Examples on the Web

The United States has been negotiating with Israel and Hamas, as well as other regional states, to end the conflict and free the hostages for more than a year, and has made steady progress but has not concluded a deal. —Faith E. Pinho, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025

Israel, in turn, says the war will continue until the hostages are released and Hamas is dismantled, according to Reuters news service. —Dan Mangan, CNBC, 7 Jan. 2025

The two were asked about ongoing efforts to secure a deal to release the Israeli and other hostages still being held by Hamas. —Lalee Ibssa, ABC News, 7 Jan. 2025

So many people are being shut down and canceled out for showing support for Israel even for the hostages. —Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hostage, ostage, borrowed from Anglo-French, "lodging, residence, custody of a person held as security against fulfillment of an agreement, the person so held," from hoste "guest, host" + -age -age — more at host entry 1

Note: The peculiar sense shift apparently arose from the Old French use of hostage in verbal phrases such as prendre en hostage "to take in residence, lodge" in reference to the lodging of a person held as surety; the import of hostage was then transferred to the status of such a person, and finally to the actual person.

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing hostage

• a hostage to fortune
• hostage crisis

Kids Definition

hostage

noun

hos·​tage ˈhäs-tij 

: a person held captive as a pledge that promises will be kept or terms met by another