noun

• A person who seizes or holds someone as security for the fulfilment of a condition.

  ‘the government maintained a policy of refusing to negotiate with hostage takers’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Armed with an assault rifle, he holds a band of hostage takers off for hours.’
  • ‘Strongly resist the temptation to telephone a gunman or hostage taker.’
  • ‘In 1980, at a moment of near despair, our nation was being humiliated by the hostage takers.’
  • ‘The former MP last night appeared on TV to appeal directly to the hostage takers.’
  • ‘Infliction of harm on innocent human beings to influence the conduct of others is indistinguishable from what hostage takers do.’
  • ‘He called on the government to reject any demands from the hostage takers.’
  • ‘A security official confirms that authorities have established contact with hostage takers.’
  • ‘He has built his entire political career on antiterrorism, on the slogan of not giving into the demands of hostage takers.’
  • ‘They had reached a cease-fire arrangement with the hostage takers.’
  • ‘The family applied great pressure on the government to respond to the hostage takers' demands.’