1 captivity | Definition of captivity

captivity

noun
cap·​tiv·​i·​ty | \ kap-ˈti-vÉ™-tÄ“ How to pronounce captivity (audio) \

Definition of captivity

1 : the state of being captive some birds thrive in captivity
2 obsolete : a group of captives

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Examples of captivity in a Sentence

The prisoners were released from captivity. the wildlife refuge raises endangered species in captivity and then releases them into the wild

Recent Examples on the Web

Their studies have shown that just being in captivity had a negative effect, Owings said. Caren Chesler, Popular Mechanics, "The Blood of the Crab," 23 Aug. 2019 Fewer than 60 individuals remained, all in captivity. The Economist, "An ancient beast returns to Transylvania," 22 Aug. 2019 Of those, 16 people were penalized for employing unauthorized interrogation techniques or being involved in the captivity of individuals who failed to meet the criteria for detention. Elizabeth Grimm Arsenault, Washington Post, "With (or without) Gina Haspel at CIA, could Trump revive the torture program?," 8 May 2018 Rosas believes inland aquaculture—raising the animals from birth to adulthood in captivity—could be one way to meet increased demand without devastating the wild population. Tik Root, Time, "Inside the Race to Build the World's First Commercial Octopus Farm," 21 Aug. 2019 Each year, the Indonesian government approves export quotas for more than a million geckos labelled as bred in captivity. Rachel Nuwer, Scientific American, "A Once Common Gecko Is Vanishing from Parts of Asia," 20 Aug. 2019 She would be held in captivity for nine months and raped repeatedly. Diana Pearl, PEOPLE.com, "How Jayme Closs, Elizabeth Smart, Jaycee Dugard and Others Survived Headline-Making Abductions," 19 Aug. 2019 In addition to sharing implausible invasion tactics, internet users mused about how the aliens would fare in the real world after being freed from captivity by a horde of vaping heroes. Jacey Fortin, New York Times, "Storm Area 51? It’s a Joke, but the Air Force Is Concerned," 15 July 2019 Afusat Eke, a social worker for the Nigerian Seafarers’ Welfare Board, says sailors often suffer from anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder after being released from captivity. The Economist, "The Gulf of Guinea is now the world’s worst piracy hotspot," 29 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'captivity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of captivity

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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More Definitions for captivity

captivity

noun

English Language Learners Definition of captivity

: the state of being kept in a place (such as a prison or a cage) and not being able to leave or be free : the state or condition of being captive

captivity

noun
cap·​tiv·​i·​ty | \ kap-ˈti-vÉ™-tÄ“ How to pronounce captivity (audio) \

Kids Definition of captivity

: the state of being held prisoner : the state of being captive

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More from Merriam-Webster on captivity

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with captivity

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for captivity

Spanish Central: Translation of captivity

Nglish: Translation of captivity for Spanish Speakers