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Definitions

prisoner

[priz-uh-ner, priz-ner] / ˈprɪz ə nər, ˈprɪz nər /
NOUN
person jailed for crime; person kept against his or her will
Synonyms
STRONGEST
captive convict detainee hostage
STRONG
con culprit internee jailbird lag lifer loser tough yardbird
WEAK
chain gang member

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The board said its decisions were "solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk was manageable in the community".

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

They added that the prison involved had added "stronger checks on prisoner mail to ensure any unwanted contact is prevented".

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

SERE’s governing concept emerged in response to how difficult it was for Americans taken prisoner during the Korean War.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

Determined to set things right, Kornev insists on seeing the prisoner, Stepniak, only to discover how difficult such a seemingly straightforward request proves to be.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

“He’s been through a lot. Getting captured in Tartarus, being held prisoner in that bronze jar, watching Percy and Annabeth fall...”

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Vocabulary lists containing prisoner

Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -er, -or

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