prisoner

noun

pris·​on·​er ˈpriz-nər 

ˈpri-zᵊn-ər

1

: a person deprived of liberty and kept under involuntary restraint, confinement, or custody

especially : one on trial or in prison

2

: someone restrained as if in prison

a prisoner of her own conscience

see also:

take-no-prisoners take no prisoners

Synonyms of prisoner

• captive
• capture

Examples of prisoner in a Sentence

He was captured by rebel forces and kept as their prisoner for several months before they set him free.

The families were held prisoner for four days.

Recent Examples on the Web

Asking the engineers to stop designing a firing squad chamber for the state of Idaho to execute death-row prisoners. —Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 1 Apr. 2026

Last year, DeSantis signed death warrants for 19 prisoners, the most in the state since the death penalty was reinstated in the 1970s. —Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026

The measure is not retroactive and won’t apply to current prisoners. —Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026

About 24% of prisoners had mood disorders, compared to about 10% of the general population. —Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing prisoner

• co-prisoner
• political prisoner
• prisoner of conscience
• prisoner of war
• prisoner's base
• take (someone) prisoner

Kids Definition

prisoner

noun

pris·​on·​er ˈpriz-nər 

-ᵊn-ər

: a person who has been captured or locked up

Legal Definition

prisoner

noun

pris·​on·​er

: a person deprived of liberty and kept under involuntary restraint, confinement, or custody

especially : one under arrest, awaiting trial, on trial, or serving a prison sentence