held hostage
Kept for ransom
Held hostage describes being kept captive as leverage—typically to extract ransom, political concessions, or compliance with demands.
Beyond literal kidnapping, the phrase extends to situations where someone feels trapped by circumstances: I'm being held hostage by my own success.
Data or systems can be held hostage by ransomware.
A project can be held hostage by one difficult stakeholder.
- hijackedTook control by force
- at gunpointCoerced by firearm
- imprisonmentLegal detention in jail
- behind barsIn jail
- ransom demandPayment required for captive
human shield · prisoner of war · abduction · stranglehold · manipulation · gaslighting · emotional blackmail · intimidation · captivity · vulnerability · survival mode · kidnapping · coercion · powerlessness · Stockholm syndrome · extortion · blackmail · brainwashing
- captivitycaptive, prisoner, detained, imprisoned, incarcerated
held hostagefree
Without payment or restriction
liberated · released · set free · freed · at liberty
held hostagefree to leave
free agent · uncoerced · self-determined · consenting · autonomous
held hostagerescued
Freed from danger
saved · protected · safeguarded · secure · out of harm's way
held, hostage, hold, holds, holding, holdings, holder, holders, beholden