hostages

2 definitions • 3 examples

someone who is taken as a prisoner by an enemy in order to force the other people involved to do what the enemy wants:

be taken/held hostage She was taken/held hostage by the gunmen.

seize a hostage The terrorists have seized 20 hostages and are threatening to kill one a day unless their demands are met.

someone who is made a prisoner in order to force other people to do something:

Inmates at the jail held 12 hostages and demanded to meet the governor.