hostage
B2Neutral to Formal. Often used in journalistic, political, legal, and security/military contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A person who is seized, held, or threatened by someone to compel another party (e.g., a government, organization, or family) to act, pay a ransom, or meet specific demands.
A person, thing, or principle held as security or in a state of dependence, where their safety or fate depends on the actions or behaviour of others.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term inherently implies powerlessness, coercion, and vulnerability. It can be used literally (a kidnapped person) or figuratively ('hostage to fortune').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is nearly identical in core meaning. The phrase 'hostage to fortune' is slightly more common in UK political/journalistic discourse.
Connotations
Identical. Carries strong negative connotations of victimization, crisis, and illegal coercion.
Frequency
Similar frequency. Slight uptick in UK media historically due to reporting on the Northern Ireland conflict.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Person/Group] + take/hold/seize + [Person] + hostage[Person] + be/be held/be taken + hostage + (by [Group])[Person/Group] + be a hostage to + [Abstract Noun (e.g., fortune, circumstance)]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a hostage to fortune (something that makes you vulnerable to future misfortune)”
- “hold someone/something hostage (to control or restrict something unreasonably)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The merger talks were held hostage by the dispute over intellectual property rights." (figurative)
Academic
"The study examined the psychological impact of prolonged captivity on former hostages."
Everyday
"The bank robbers took three customers hostage."
Technical
"The SWAT team deployed a negotiator to establish communication with the hostage-taker."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The protesters attempted to hostage the manager, but security intervened.
- The entire operation was hostage to the weather.
American English
- The gunmen threatened to hostage the employees.
- Their success was hostage to securing final approval.
adjective
British English
- The hostage situation entered its third day.
- Hostage negotiations are delicate.
American English
- A hostage crisis was declared.
- The hostage video was released online.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The bad man has a hostage.
- They want money for the hostage.
- The terrorists took five people hostage in the embassy.
- The hostages were freed after two days.
- A prolonged hostage situation developed, requiring specialist negotiators.
- The company's future is hostage to the outcome of the court case.
- His earlier public pronouncements now left him a hostage to fortune when the policy failed.
- The hijackers used the civilians as human shields and de facto hostages.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a HOST at a party who is suddenly held against their will; they become a HOST-age, an unwilling guest.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTROL IS HOLDING SOMEONE HOSTAGE (e.g., 'My workload is holding me hostage this weekend.'); VULNERABILITY IS BEING A HOSTAGE (e.g., 'He felt hostage to his own anxiety.')
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'host' (хозяин/ведущий).
- В русском 'заложник' охватывает как literal, так и figurative смыслы, аналогично английскому.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He was made a hostage.' (Unnatural) Correct: 'He was taken hostage.'
- Incorrect preposition: 'hostage of' (rare). Correct: 'hostage to' (figurative) or 'hostage of' only in specific noun phrases like 'the hostages of the terrorists'.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'hostage' used figuratively?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Rarely and often considered non-standard or journalistic shorthand. The standard phrasing is 'take [someone] hostage'. The verb form is more accepted in figurative use (e.g., 'hostage to').
A hostage is a civilian or non-combatant seized illegally to force concessions. A prisoner of war is a captured combatant entitled to specific legal protections under international law (Geneva Conventions).
It's a well-known, somewhat literary idiom, particularly in political and analytical writing. It means an action or commitment that creates a future vulnerability.
A specific incident or crisis where one or more persons are held captive by an individual or group, typically involving demands, a standoff with authorities, and specialized police/military response protocols.