Definition Synonyms
Definition of captive - Reverso English Dictionary
Adjective
1.
imprisonmentheld as a prisoner or confined
- The captive soldiers were finally released.
2.
restrictedunable to avoid or escape a situation
- The speech was given to a captive audience.
3.
enchantedcaptivated or charmed by someone or something
- She was captive to his charm..
Noun
1.
confinementperson or animal confined, especially a prisoner
- The captive was finally released after negotiations.
2.
insuranceTECH. subsidiary used as internal insurerTECH.
- The company set up a captive to manage risks.
Expressions with captive
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
people forced to listen or watch something
The passengers were a captive audience for the sales pitch.
meeting where attendance is mandatory
The company held a captive audience meeting to discuss the new policies.
breeding animals in controlled environments for conservation
Captive breeding programs help save endangered species.
customer loyal to a brand despite available alternatives
Her love for the coffee shop made her a captive customer.
having limited choices or bound to a provider
The company benefits from a captive customer base.
company-owned institution financing customer purchases of its products
The automotive manufacturer operates a captive finance company to help customers buy its cars..
group of consumers with no choice but to buy
The airport shops benefit from a captive market.
insurance company owned by the insureds
The corporation formed a captive insurance to manage its risks.
Origin of captive
Latin, captivus (captive)
Terms with captive included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
self direction
condition of not being held captive or restricted in choices
held hostage
held captive for ransom or other demands
time held
period during which someone is held captive
coercion
keep someone captive to force others to meet demands
kidnapping
release of a captive by payment
crime
money demanded for the release of a captive
enemy capture
capture someone and hold them captive
war captive
person captured by an enemy in wartime
kidnap
keep someone captive until money is paid
captivity
keep someone captive until demands are met
imprisonment
person holding someone captive
animal welfare
activities stimulating captive animals' mental wellbeing
animal behavior
animal that holds another captive
captivity
old term for a captive or prisoner
crime
having been unlawfully taken and held captive
abduction
act of abducting someone to hold them captive
captive species
species of deer known only in captivity
Examples of captive in a sentence
He felt like a captive animal in the small, enclosed space. The captive workers had no choice but to comply. He felt like a captive prisoner in his own home. The audience was captive throughout the performance. He was captive to the beauty of the landscape. The captive awaited his fate in silence.
Rescuers worked to free the captive from the dungeon. A captive can offer tailored insurance solutions. Captives are becoming more popular in corporate finance.
View all translations of captive
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:captif, détenu, ...
- German:gefangen, Gefangener, ...
- Italian:prigioniero, detenuto, ...
- Spanish:cautivo, cautiva, ...
- Portuguese:cativo, prisioneiro, ...
- Chinese:被俘的, 囚犯, ...
- Japanese:捕虜の, 捕虜, ...
- Arabic:أَسِير, سجين, ...
- Hebrew:אָסִיר, קַפְּטִיב, ...
- Russian:пленный, пленник, ...
- Ukrainian:полонений, бранка, ...
- Hindi:बंदी, कैप्टिव, ...
icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.
icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.
icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the