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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.

She says she felt like a prisoner in her own body.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

This is the second mass prisoner release this year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

It is the second time this year that Cuba has announced a prisoner release.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 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

“Spoken like a true prisoner of lawful behavior,” she says.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

Vocabulary lists containing prisoner

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

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