1
: a person deprived of liberty and kept under involuntary restraint, confinement, or custody
especially
: one on trial or in prison
2
: someone restrained as if in prison
a prisoner of her own conscience
see also take-no-prisoners, take no prisoners
Examples of prisoner in a Sentence
He was captured by rebel forces and kept as their prisoner for several months before they set him free.
The families were held prisoner for four days.
Recent Examples on the Web
In exchange, Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners, of whom 18 were serving life sentences.
—
Andrew Torgan, CNN, 2 Feb. 2025
The announcement comes after a meeting in Caracas between Maduro and Trump envoy Richard Grenell, after which the socialist government released six American prisoners.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Antonio Maria Delgado and Verónica Egui Brito Miami Herald (tns), arkansasonline.com, 2 Feb. 2025
Trump’s announcement came a meeting in Caracas between Grenell and Maduro, after which the socialist regime released six American prisoners.
—Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 2 Feb. 2025
In exchange, all 183 prisoners that were due to be freed from Israeli prisons Saturday have been released, an Israeli prison services spokesperson said, after Hamas earlier freed the three hostages.
—Annabella Rosciglione, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Feb. 2025
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Andrew Torgan, CNN, 2 Feb. 2025
The announcement comes after a meeting in Caracas between Maduro and Trump envoy Richard Grenell, after which the socialist government released six American prisoners.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Antonio Maria Delgado and Verónica Egui Brito Miami Herald (tns), arkansasonline.com, 2 Feb. 2025
Trump’s announcement came a meeting in Caracas between Grenell and Maduro, after which the socialist regime released six American prisoners.
—Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 2 Feb. 2025
In exchange, all 183 prisoners that were due to be freed from Israeli prisons Saturday have been released, an Israeli prison services spokesperson said, after Hamas earlier freed the three hostages.
—Annabella Rosciglione, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for prisoner
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Cite this Entry
“Prisoner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prisoner. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prisoner
noun
pris·on·er
ˈpriz-nər 
-ᵊn-ər
: a person who has been captured or locked up
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