Prisoner
noun
A person who is kept in prison as a punishment.
The prisoner was sentenced to ten years for robbery.
Often appears as...
- former prisoner
- prisoner of war
noun
A person who is forced to stay in a place.
She was a prisoner in her own home.
Often appears as...
- prisoner of conscience
- prisoner of habit
noun
A person who is captured and held by an enemy during war.
He was taken as a prisoner of war.
Often appears as...
- prisoner of war
- prisoner exchange
noun
A person who is kept as a prisoner because they have done something wrong according to a particular group or law, but have not been judged in a court of law.
He was held as a political prisoner.
Often appears as...
- political prisoner
- prisoner of conscience
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
A person who is kept in prison as a punishment.
The prisoner was sentenced to ten years for robbery.
Often appears as...
- former prisoner
- prisoner of war
noun
A person who is forced to stay in a place.
She was a prisoner in her own home.
Often appears as...
- prisoner of conscience
- prisoner of habit
noun
A person who is captured and held by an enemy during war.
He was taken as a prisoner of war.
Often appears as...
- prisoner of war
- prisoner exchange
noun
A person who is kept as a prisoner because they have done something wrong according to a particular group or law, but have not been judged in a court of law.
He was held as a political prisoner.
Often appears as...
- political prisoner
- prisoner of conscience
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Legal Outcome
‘Prisoner’ implies that the person has faced legal judgment and is serving time.
The court declared her a prisoner after the verdict.
Pro Tip 2/3Length of Stay
The term does not specify the length of imprisonment; it could be days or life.
As a prisoner, his fate was uncertain.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Physical
Can refer to being controlled by emotions or situations, not just physically held.
He's a prisoner to his own fears.
Pro Tip 1/3Legal Outcome
‘Prisoner’ implies that the person has faced legal judgment and is serving time.
The court declared her a prisoner after the verdict.
Pro Tip 2/3Length of Stay
The term does not specify the length of imprisonment; it could be days or life.
As a prisoner, his fate was uncertain.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Physical
Can refer to being controlled by emotions or situations, not just physically held.
He's a prisoner to his own fears.
Pro Tip 1/3Legal Outcome
‘Prisoner’ implies that the person has faced legal judgment and is serving time.
The court declared her a prisoner after the verdict.
Pro Tip 2/3Length of Stay
The term does not specify the length of imprisonment; it could be days or life.
As a prisoner, his fate was uncertain.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Physical
Can refer to being controlled by emotions or situations, not just physically held.
He's a prisoner to his own fears.
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Video examples
The psychology of evil PIPE...
Picked two the most normal, the most healthy. Randomly assigned them to be prisoner and guard. So on day one, we knew we had good apples. I'm going to put them in a bad situation. And secondly, we know there's no difference between the boys who will be guards and those who will be prisoners. To the prisoners, we said,
Video examples
This Is Your Brain on...
to enlist the help of prisoners, of incarcerated men and women to help me learn how to grow mosses for the horticulture trade. They have time, many of them have space, you don't need sharp tools to grow mosses. And so in fact this turned out to be a fabulous project. The incarcerated men and women
Video examples
The history of the world...
But when a British destroyer came to collect the prisoners, they found an unexpected survivor - a black and white cat clinging to a floating plank. For the next several months this cat hunted rats and raised British morale - until a sudden torpedo strike shattered the hull and sank the ship.
Video examples
Wall Street in prison PIPE...
like what's that and a guy asked me if I played stocks I hadn't even heard the word before tell me say you know this is what why people keep their money I mean he said that alcohol like I stumbled across something here is their regulation that a prisoner can not invest in the stock market
Video examples
Plato’s Allegory of the...
by examining concepts like justice, truth and beauty. In the allegory, a group of prisoners have been confined in a cavern since birth, with no knowledge of the outside world. They are chained, facing a wall, unable to turn their heads, while a fire behind them gives off a faint light.
Video examples
Can you solve the...
the dictator reluctantly agrees to let you visit the island and speak to the prisoners under the following you may only make one statement, and you cannot tell them any new information. What can you say to help free the prisoners without incurring the dictator's wrath?
Video examples
The philosophy of...
focuses on changing the self-defeating attitudes people form about their life circumstances. There's also Viktor Frankl's logotherapy. Informed by Frankl's own time as a concentration camp prisoner, logotherapy is based on the Stoic principle
Video examples
History vs. Genghis Khan...
"Multiple accounts show his army's brutality going beyond ripping unborn children from mothers' wombs, using prisoners as human shields, or moat fillers to support siege engines, taking all women from conquered towns--"
Video examples
The Atlantic slave...
but criminals, debtors, or prisoners of war from rival tribes. By selling them, kings enriched their own realms, and strengthened them against neighboring enemies. African kingdoms prospered from the slave trade,
Video examples
Praying Mantis...
in defense of the trail the ants take no prisoners but even an innocuous looking insect can be surprisingly dangerous
Video examples
The psychology of evil PIPE...
Picked two the most normal, the most healthy. Randomly assigned them to be prisoner and guard. So on day one, we knew we had good apples. I'm going to put them in a bad situation. And secondly, we know there's no difference between the boys who will be guards and those who will be prisoners. To the prisoners, we said,
Video examples
This Is Your Brain on...
to enlist the help of prisoners, of incarcerated men and women to help me learn how to grow mosses for the horticulture trade. They have time, many of them have space, you don't need sharp tools to grow mosses. And so in fact this turned out to be a fabulous project. The incarcerated men and women
Video examples
The history of the world...
But when a British destroyer came to collect the prisoners, they found an unexpected survivor - a black and white cat clinging to a floating plank. For the next several months this cat hunted rats and raised British morale - until a sudden torpedo strike shattered the hull and sank the ship.
Video examples
Wall Street in prison PIPE...
like what's that and a guy asked me if I played stocks I hadn't even heard the word before tell me say you know this is what why people keep their money I mean he said that alcohol like I stumbled across something here is their regulation that a prisoner can not invest in the stock market
Video examples
Plato’s Allegory of the...
by examining concepts like justice, truth and beauty. In the allegory, a group of prisoners have been confined in a cavern since birth, with no knowledge of the outside world. They are chained, facing a wall, unable to turn their heads, while a fire behind them gives off a faint light.
Video examples
Can you solve the...
the dictator reluctantly agrees to let you visit the island and speak to the prisoners under the following you may only make one statement, and you cannot tell them any new information. What can you say to help free the prisoners without incurring the dictator's wrath?
Video examples
The philosophy of...
focuses on changing the self-defeating attitudes people form about their life circumstances. There's also Viktor Frankl's logotherapy. Informed by Frankl's own time as a concentration camp prisoner, logotherapy is based on the Stoic principle
Video examples
History vs. Genghis Khan...
"Multiple accounts show his army's brutality going beyond ripping unborn children from mothers' wombs, using prisoners as human shields, or moat fillers to support siege engines, taking all women from conquered towns--"
Video examples
The Atlantic slave...
but criminals, debtors, or prisoners of war from rival tribes. By selling them, kings enriched their own realms, and strengthened them against neighboring enemies. African kingdoms prospered from the slave trade,
Video examples
Praying Mantis...
in defense of the trail the ants take no prisoners but even an innocuous looking insect can be surprisingly dangerous
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Monica Bellucci
Italian Actress
In so many places in the world, women have been prisoners for so long that they feel they have to scream about their rights. But when you scream, nobody listens to you. Real authority comes when you no longer need to scream - and that's something we women still need to learn.
Quote examples
Alissa Quart
American Writer
Part of why daycare is so poorly paid is because the sense that they're prisoners of love, that daycare workers love their work so much that they don't need to be paid fairly. It's this sense of, 'Oh well, labor and love are two different things.
Quote examples
William S. Burroughs
American Writer
Hemingway was a prisoner of his style. No one can talk like the characters in Hemingway except the characters in Hemingway. His style in the wildest sense finally killed him.
Quote examples
Dolley Madison
American First Lady
And now, dear sister, I must leave this house or the retreating army will make me a prisoner in it by filling up the road I am directed to take.
Quote examples
Matthew Shipp
American Musician
People come from a certain generation and a certain whole way of looking at things, and you really do become a prisoner of your own world.
Quote examples
Chris Grayling
British Politician
I want to see prisoners getting support that is every bit as good as that which they would receive from the NHS in the community.
Quote examples
Martha Washington
American First Lady
I live a very dull life here... indeed I think I am more like a state prisoner than anything else.
Quote examples
Gerry Cooney
American Athlete
I've spent most of my life in prison. I was a prisoner of my fear and my low self-esteem.
Quote examples
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova
Russian Artist
Mordovian prisoners are afraid of their own shadows. They are completely terrified.
Quote examples
Aung San Suu Kyi
Burmese Activist
I think I was the healthiest prisoner of conscience in the world.
Quote examples
Monica Bellucci
Italian Actress
In so many places in the world, women have been prisoners for so long that they feel they have to scream about their rights. But when you scream, nobody listens to you. Real authority comes when you no longer need to scream - and that's something we women still need to learn.
Quote examples
Alissa Quart
American Writer
Part of why daycare is so poorly paid is because the sense that they're prisoners of love, that daycare workers love their work so much that they don't need to be paid fairly. It's this sense of, 'Oh well, labor and love are two different things.
Quote examples
William S. Burroughs
American Writer
Hemingway was a prisoner of his style. No one can talk like the characters in Hemingway except the characters in Hemingway. His style in the wildest sense finally killed him.
Quote examples
Dolley Madison
American First Lady
And now, dear sister, I must leave this house or the retreating army will make me a prisoner in it by filling up the road I am directed to take.
Quote examples
Matthew Shipp
American Musician
People come from a certain generation and a certain whole way of looking at things, and you really do become a prisoner of your own world.
Quote examples
Chris Grayling
British Politician
I want to see prisoners getting support that is every bit as good as that which they would receive from the NHS in the community.
Quote examples
Martha Washington
American First Lady
I live a very dull life here... indeed I think I am more like a state prisoner than anything else.
Quote examples
Gerry Cooney
American Athlete
I've spent most of my life in prison. I was a prisoner of my fear and my low self-esteem.
Quote examples
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova
Russian Artist
Mordovian prisoners are afraid of their own shadows. They are completely terrified.
Quote examples
Aung San Suu Kyi
Burmese Activist
I think I was the healthiest prisoner of conscience in the world.
Example 1 of 10
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