hostage - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
hostage Word Meanings
- a person seized and held as security for the fulfillment of a condition
- a person taken captive
- someone whose freedom is restricted as a guarantee
hostage Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
hostage Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/ˈhɒstɪdʒ/
US
/ˈhɑːstɪdʒ/
hostage Word Etymology
hostage = host + -age. Early Middle English from Old French 'hostage', originally from Latin 'hostis' meaning 'enemy' and 'host' implying a person taken in a conflict. Image: Picture a tense negotiation scene where a frightened child holds a teddy bear, symbolizing the person held in exchange for safety or agreement.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I shift my weight, trying to move my hands into a more comfortable pose as a cord tightens around my wrists. The room stays quiet, and I feel like a hostage in a tense, slow moment. If I keep my breath steady and adjust my stance, I hold on to a sliver of control. Time drags, and each small choice—where to look, how to sit—turns into a tiny tactic for staying present, while freedom feels just out of reach.
Real Context
Hostage is a person seized and held as security for the fulfillment of a condition, and it can also refer to someone taken captive in a conflict. In journalism and politics, the term is used when negotiations hinge on the safety or release of such individuals. The phrase carries moral weight because it frames a person as leverage rather than as a citizen with rights. Learners often confuse hostage with prisoner, kidnap victim, or hostage-taker, and miss the crucial sense of coercive bargaining. In everyday speech, metaphorical uses appear when someone is treated as a bargaining chip in a debate, project, or policy decision.
Usage Reminders
- Use in crisis or negotiation contexts only
- Avoid interchangeable use with prisoner or kidnap victim
- Note the coercive, bargaining aspect
- Prefer plural 'hostages' when referring to more than one
- Be mindful of ethical and legal nuances in formal writing
- Avoid overgeneralizing to non-literal uses
Common Misconceptions
- Conflating hostage with prisoner or kidnapping victim
- Thinking it only means someone kidnapped for fun or random crime
- Mistaking hostage for the person keeping others hostage
- Assuming hostage situations are always violent or sensational
- Using hostage metaphorically without noting coercion or legal context
Thinking Differences
In English, hostage emphasizes coercion and leverage in negotiation; learners should note the rights and safety dimension and distinguish it from terms like prisoner or kidnap victim.
Learning Tips
- Study distinctions: hostage vs prisoner vs kidnapping victim
- Note the negotiation context and ethical implications
- Practice using plural form in multiple-hostage scenarios
- Read crisis reporting to see authentic wording
- Keep legal and rights-based language in formal writing
- Use metaphorical uses carefully and with nuance
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 1: Meaning
What is the meaning of the word 'hostage'?
A.Someone held against their will
B.A person who tells jokes
C.A type of flower
D.A famous building
Step 2: Usage
In which of the following sentences is the word 'hostage' used correctly?
A.He bought a new cat as a hostage pet.
B.She visited the Eiffel Tower, a famous hostage.
C.I planted some beautiful hostage in my garden.
D.The hostage negotiator successfully resolved the situation.
Step 3: Similar Words
Which word is a synonym of 'hostage'?
A.Free
B.Explorer
C.Prisoner
D.Calm
Step 4: Opposite Words
What is the opposite of 'hostage'?
A.Guest
B.Visitor
C.Victim
D.Volunteer
Step 5: Mastery
In what real-life situation would the word 'hostage' be used?
A.At a grocery store
B.During a school play
C.At a music concert
D.During a bank robbery
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