captive
Unable to leave
Captive describes someone or something held in confinement or under another's control.
A captive animal is kept in a cage or enclosure.
A captive audience cannot easily leave.
A captive market has no alternative suppliers.
As a noun, a captive is a prisoner: The captives were held for ransom.
To be held captive is to be detained against one's will.
Figuratively, something holds you captive when it commands your attention completely: The story held me captive until the final page.
Confined facility resident
- convictJailed offender after trial
- detaineePerson held in custody
- incarceratedConfined in prison
- jailbirdRepeat offender serving time
felon · cell · shackles · chains · dungeon · imprisonment · detention · confinement
Public animal collection
- wildlifeUndomesticated natural organisms
- enclosureConfined, bordered space
- exhibitItem publicly displayed
- cageBarred confinement structure
aquarium · sanctuary · breeding · keeper · endangered · species · habitat · conservation
Focused mental awareness
- raptDeeply absorbed, fascinated
- engagedPledged to marry
- spellboundHeld as if enchanted
- entrancedFilled with wonder
fascinated · riveted · absorbed · transfixed · mesmerized · compelled · trapped · obligated
Unlawful seizure of person
- abductionUnlawful seizure of person
- ransomPayment for captive's release
- captorsThose holding prisoners
- abductorsThose who take unlawfully
negotiation · release · demands · rescue · liberation · terrorists · crisis · victim
inmate
Confined facility resident
- convictJailed offender after trial
- detaineePerson held in custody
- incarceratedConfined in prison
jailbird · felon · cell · shackles · chains · dungeon · imprisonment · detention · confinement · solitary
zoo
Public animal collection
- wildlifeUndomesticated natural organisms
- enclosureConfined, bordered space
- exhibitItem publicly displayed
cage · aquarium · sanctuary · breeding · keeper · endangered · species · habitat · conservation · aviary
attention
Focused mental awareness
- raptDeeply absorbed, fascinated
- engagedPledged to marry
- spellboundHeld as if enchanted
entranced · fascinated · riveted · absorbed · transfixed · mesmerized · compelled · trapped · obligated · listeners
kidnapping
Unlawful seizure of person
- abductionUnlawful seizure of person
- ransomPayment for captive's release
- captorsThose holding prisoners
abductors · negotiation · release · demands · rescue · liberation · terrorists · crisis · victim · safehouse
- boundbound, tied, restrained, confined, restricted
- captivesprisoner, inmate, detainee, hostage, POW
- Cassandraprophetess, seer, Troy, unheeded, warnings
- detentionjail, detention centers, prison, detention orders, detainee
- Warfare Customswar cry, battle cry, war drums, war drum, war chant
- Damsels in DistressRapunzel, Andromeda, cursed princess, enchanted princess
captivefree
Without payment or restriction
liberated · released · freed · emancipated · unconfined
captiveinattentive
Not paying attention
disengaged · uninterested · distracted · bored · indifferent
- captive audienceGroup forced to listen
- closed captionText displaying spoken dialogue
- held captiveKept by force
- photo captionText identifying an image
- captive breedingReproducing animals under human care
- hold captive
captivity, caption, captivate, captivated, captivating, captives, captivation, captivates, captivities