captive
gb/kˈæptɪv/ us/kˈæptɪv/
B1
English
~ 5200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
a person who is imprisoned
A person who is taken and kept as a prisoner.
Usage pattern:
take [someone] captive
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse captive (the person held) with captor (the person who holds them). Also, 'hostage' is a type of captive taken to gain leverage, not a general synonym in every context.
Synonyms
prisoner (Most general term for someone deprived of freedom.)
|
detainee (Often used in legal or police contexts for someone held in custody.)
|
hostage (A captive specifically held to force someone else to act.)
Antonyms
captor (The person who holds the captive; opposite role.)
|
free person (Someone not imprisoned or restrained.)
Collocations
release captives
|rescue captives
|hold captives
|exchange captives
|free the captives
|prisoner of war captives
Themes
crime
|war
|law
Examples
- The rebels released the remaining captives after negotiations.
- Several captives were being held in the basement by the gang.
- The army rescued two captives from the remote camp.
- The kidnappers forced the captives to call their families.
Learner examples
- The police freed the captives.
- The captives were tired and hungry.
- Soldiers rescued three captives last night.
- They kept the captives in a small room.
adjective
B1
property
2
kept in confinement; not free
Not free; kept as a prisoner or in a closed place.
Usage pattern:
hold [someone/animal] captive
Common mistake:
Learners may say 'He was capture' instead of 'He was captured' (verb) or 'He was captive' (adjective). Use 'captured' for the action, and 'captive' to describe the state.
Synonyms
imprisoned (Emphasizes being put in prison or a similar place.)
|
confined (Focuses on being limited to a space, not necessarily a formal prison.)
Antonyms
free (Not under restraint or control.)
|
at large (Not captured; especially used for people or animals who escaped or remain free.)
Collocations
hold captive
|keep captive
|captive animals
|captive-bred
|kept captive
|raised in captive conditions
Themes
crime
|animals
|law
Examples
- The hostages were held captive for six weeks.
- Many zoos care for captive elephants and gorillas.
- He kept her captive in the apartment until the police arrived.
- Captive birds often live longer than those in the wild.
Learner examples
- The men kept the tourists captive.
- The zoo has many captive animals.
- She was captive in the house for two days.
- The police found two captive dogs in the shed.
adjective
B2
property
3
no choice but to listen
Used for an audience that has to listen or watch and cannot leave.
Usage pattern:
captive [audience/listeners/viewers]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse 'a captive audience' with 'a captivated audience'. 'Captive' means they cannot leave; 'captivated' means very interested.
Synonyms
involuntary (Stresses lack of choice.)
|
obliged (Emphasizes being required or forced by circumstances.)
Antonyms
voluntary (Attending by choice.)
|
willing (Happy or eager to listen or attend.)
Collocations
captive audience
|captive listeners
|captive viewers
|a truly captive audience
Themes
communication
|media
|business
|daily_life
Examples
- With no Wi‑Fi on the flight, the airline had a captive audience for its ads.
- The students were a captive audience during the fire drill talk.
- At the ferry terminal, travelers became a captive audience for the street performer.
Learner examples
- On the bus, we were a captive audience for the long speech.
- The kids were a captive audience while they waited in line.
- During the delay, the fans were a captive audience for the announcements.
adjective
technical
C1
property
4
controlled or dependent in business
Used in business to mean under the control of one company, or with no real choice of other sellers or buyers.
Usage pattern:
captive [market/customer/company/insurer]
Synonyms
in-house (Owned or operated within the same company (e.g., finance arm).)
|
dependent (Relies on one source or owner; less about ownership than lack of alternatives.)
Antonyms
independent (Not owned or controlled by another company.)
|
competitive (Describes a market with multiple sellers and real choice.)
Collocations
captive market
|captive customers
|captive insurer
|captive finance company
|captive supplier
Themes
business
|economics
|finance
Examples
- With no nearby stores, the resort enjoys a captive market for food and souvenirs.
- The automaker’s captive finance company offered 0% loans to boost sales.
- A captive insurer primarily covers the risks of its parent company.
Learner examples
- The island hotel has a captive market for drinks.
- Their captive insurer handles most company risks.
- The brand uses a captive finance company to lend to buyers.
Grammar
Dictionary form
captive
IPA
GB/kˈæptɪv/
US/kˈæptɪv/
Syllables & stress
cap - tive (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (cap)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: captive
Noun
- Base: captive
- Plural: captives
Word family
Expressions
captive breeding
1/kˈæptɪv bɹˈidɪŋ/
fixed phrase
technical
breeding animals in confinement
The planned breeding of animals in zoos or other closed places.
Examples
- Captive breeding has helped restore the condor population.
- The program focuses on captive breeding and later release into the wild.
captive finance company
1/kˈæptɪv fɪnˈæns kˈʌmpəni/
fixed phrase
technical
manufacturer-owned finance arm
A lending company owned by a manufacturer that gives loans to its customers.
Examples
- The automaker’s captive finance company offered low-interest leases.
- Many equipment makers use a captive finance company to support dealers.
captive market
1/kˈæptɪv mˈɑɹkɪt/
fixed phrase
technical
buyers lacking alternatives
Customers who cannot easily buy from other sellers.
Examples
- The stadium concession stands have a captive market during games.
- Remote mining camps create a captive market for basic goods.
hold someone captive
1/hˈoʊld sˈʌmwˌʌn kˈæptɪv/
fixed phrase
keep a person imprisoned
To keep a person as a prisoner and not let them leave.
Examples
- They held the journalist captive for three days.
- The gang held several tourists captive in a warehouse.
keep someone captive
1/kˈip sˈʌmwˌʌn kˈæptɪv/
fixed phrase
continue to confine someone
To continue holding a person as a prisoner.
Examples
- The kidnappers kept her captive until the ransom was paid.
- They kept the soldiers captive in a locked room.
take someone captive
1/tˈeɪk sˈʌmwˌʌn kˈæptɪv/
fixed phrase
seize and imprison someone
To catch a person and keep them as a prisoner.
Examples
- The militia took two aid workers captive near the border.
- Pirates took the crew captive after boarding the ship.
captive audience
1/kˈæptɪv ˈɔdiəns/
fixed phrase
an audience with no choice
A group of people who must listen or watch because they cannot leave.
Examples
- With the passengers stuck on the plane, the speaker had a captive audience.
- With the train delayed, the vendor had a captive audience on the platform.
- Students on a long bus ride became a captive audience for his stories.
- Airlines play ads to a captive audience before takeoff.