# ransom

/ˈɹænsəm/ (US) · /ɹˈænsəm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ransom
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. money for release

noun · CEFR B2

the money that kidnappers demand before they will let a person go free.

For teachers: a sum of money or other consideration demanded or paid for the release of a person being held as a hostage.

- The kidnappers demanded a huge ransom for the return of the businessman.
- The government maintained a strict policy of refusing to pay any ransom, arguing that doing so would only encourage further abductions.

### 2. to pay for freedom

verb · CEFR B2

to pay money to set someone free from a kidnapper or from prison.

For teachers: to obtain the release of a captive by paying a demanded price.

- The family worked hard to raise enough money to ransom their son.
- Historically, wealthy families would often ransom their relatives who had been captured during wartime rather than leave them in enemy prisons.

### 3. to hold for payment

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to keep someone as a prisoner until you receive money for their release.

For teachers: to hold a person or property in order to extract a payment for their release.

- The pirates planned to ransom the ship's crew for millions of dollars.
- The rebel group attempted to ransom the captured officials to fund their ongoing military operations against the state.

### 4. historical fine

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · British English

in the past, a sum of money paid to avoid physical punishment for a crime.

For teachers: a sum paid for the pardon of a significant offence or a fine paid in lieu of corporal punishment.

- In medieval times, a lord might pay a ransom to the king to avoid prison.
- The legal records indicate that the offender was permitted to pay a ransom to the crown, thereby escaping the standard physical penalties of the era.

## Examples

- The kidnappers demanded a high ransom for the businessman.
- The family worked with the police to deliver the ransom without putting the victim in further danger.
- Historically, kings and nobles captured in battle were often held for ransom, with their release contingent upon the payment of vast sums from their home territories.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.