Word
captive
Phoneticscap·tive, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkæptɪv/
UK/kˈæptɪv/
Definitions
01a prisoner
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a person who has been captured and is being kept as a prisoner.
n. a person who is held in confinement or under the control of another, typically during a war or conflict.
“The soldiers released the captive after the peace treaty was signed.”
“The humanitarian organisation negotiated for months to ensure the safe return of every captive held behind enemy lines.”
Antonyms
02held prisoner
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. kept as a prisoner or not allowed to go where you want.
adj. held in confinement or restrained from liberty; often used to describe an audience that has no choice but to listen.
“The passengers were a captive audience for the pilot's long stories.”
“The zoo was criticised for keeping large mammals in a captive environment that failed to mimic their natural roaming grounds.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03charmed or fascinated
C1 · Advanced Literary
adj. feeling very attracted to or interested in someone or something.
adj. metaphorically subdued or enthralled by beauty, affection, or excellence.
“He stood captive to her beauty from the moment they met.”
“The young poet remained captive to the rugged beauty of the cliffs, returning every summer to find fresh inspiration.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
04to capture
C2 · Proficiency Archaic
v. an old word meaning to catch or take someone as a prisoner.
v. to take someone into confinement or to capture them. This verbal form is now largely replaced by 'capture' or 'captivate' in modern contexts.
“The knight sought to captive his enemies during the great battle.”
“In the ancient chronicles, it is written that the king did captive the rebels and held them in the high tower for many years.”
Real-World Examples
“A gunman can be heard speaking in the Hausa language directly to families of the captives, telling them to identify their relatives.” “Photograph: AP It used to be called monkeypox, because the virus was first discovered in captive monkeys in 1958.” “He added that some of the soldiers had been captive since 2023, and about 118 others remained held.” Etymology
Inherited from Middle English captif; derived from Latin captīvus, probably through a borrowing from a Middle French intermediate. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap- (“seize, hold”). Doublet of caitiff.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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