captor
One holding prisoners
A captor is someone who takes and holds a person or animal against their will.
The word typically appears in contexts involving kidnapping, hostage situations, or warfare, where the relationship between captor and captive is defined by force or coercion.
The hostages eventually developed sympathy for their captors.
Captor can also describe anyone or anything that traps or confines, though this figurative use is less common.
One who takes captives
- snatcherOne who seizes quickly
- hostage-takerOne who captures people
- ransomPayment for captive's release
- hostageCaptive held as security
abduction · victim · demands · extortion · hideout · concealment · clandestine · manhunt
Prison guard
- wardenSupervisory custodian of place
- gaolerPrison guard, British spelling
- turnkeyReady for immediate use
- guardWatchful defensive attention
cell · shackles · manacles · chains · dungeon · incarceration · confinement · detention
Pursuer of prey
- stalkerObsessive, unwelcome follower
- preyAnimal being hunted
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
- pounceSudden attack leap
lurk · stealth · pursuit · trap · snare · pursue · quarry · chase
Captured military personnel
- detaineePerson held in custody
- interrogatorOne who questions formally
- campTemporary outdoor shelter site
- enemyHostile opposing party
combatant · surrender · Geneva · internee · occupation · warfare · seized · confinement
abductor
One who takes captives
- snatcherOne who seizes quickly
- hostage-takerOne who captures people
- ransomPayment for captive's release
hostage · abduction · victim · demands · extortion · hideout · concealment · clandestine · manhunt · perpetrator
jailer
Prison guard
- wardenSupervisory custodian of place
- gaolerPrison guard, British spelling
- turnkeyReady for immediate use
guard · cell · shackles · manacles · chains · dungeon · incarceration · confinement · detention · custody
hunter
Pursuer of prey
pounce · lurk · stealth · pursuit · trap · snare · pursue · quarry · chase · catch
POW
Captured military personnel
- detaineePerson held in custody
- interrogatorOne who questions formally
- campTemporary outdoor shelter site
enemy · combatant · surrender · Geneva · internee · occupation · warfare · seized · confinement · repatriation
- dominatorsdictator, tyrant, despot, autocrat, overlord
- prison campsconcentration camp, prison camps, labor camp, gulags, internment camp
- kidnapperskidnapper, abductor, snatcher, hostage taker, ransomer
- captivityprisoner, detained, imprisoned, incarcerated, prison
- jailersjailer, gaoler, prison guard, prison officer, warden
- tormentorstormentor, tormenter, torturer, torturers, persecutor
- capture the flagTeam infiltration contest
- screen captureImage of display contents
- captive audienceGroup forced to listen
- closed captionText displaying spoken dialogue
- held captiveKept by force
- motion captureRecording movement for animation
capture, captured, captive, captivity, caption, captures, captivate, capturing, captivating