captive
a person who is imprisoned
A person who is taken and kept as a prisoner.
take [someone] captive
- 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.
- 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.
kept in confinement; not free
Not free; kept as a prisoner or in a closed place.
hold [someone/animal] captive
- 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.
- 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.
no choice but to listen
Used for an audience that has to listen or watch and cannot leave.
captive [audience/listeners/viewers]
- 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.
- 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.
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.
captive [market/customer/company/insurer]
- 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.
- 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.
- Base: captive
- Base: captive
- Plural: captives
captive breeding
1breeding animals in confinement
The planned breeding of animals in zoos or other closed places.
- Captive breeding has helped restore the condor population.
- The program focuses on captive breeding and later release into the wild.
captive finance company
1manufacturer-owned finance arm
A lending company owned by a manufacturer that gives loans to its customers.
- The automaker’s captive finance company offered low-interest leases.
- Many equipment makers use a captive finance company to support dealers.
captive market
1buyers lacking alternatives
Customers who cannot easily buy from other sellers.
- The stadium concession stands have a captive market during games.
- Remote mining camps create a captive market for basic goods.
hold someone captive
1keep a person imprisoned
To keep a person as a prisoner and not let them leave.
- They held the journalist captive for three days.
- The gang held several tourists captive in a warehouse.
keep someone captive
1continue to confine someone
To continue holding a person as a prisoner.
- The kidnappers kept her captive until the ransom was paid.
- They kept the soldiers captive in a locked room.
take someone captive
1seize and imprison someone
To catch a person and keep them as a prisoner.
- The militia took two aid workers captive near the border.
- Pirates took the crew captive after boarding the ship.
captive audience
1an audience with no choice
A group of people who must listen or watch because they cannot leave.
- 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.