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
Example sentencesExamples
- Armed with an assault rifle, he holds a band of hostage takers off for hours.
- Infliction of harm on innocent human beings to influence the conduct of others is indistinguishable from what hostage takers do.
- The family applied great pressure on the government to respond to the hostage takers' demands.
- Strongly resist the temptation to telephone a gunman or hostage taker.
- He called on the government to reject any demands from the hostage takers.
- 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.
- They had reached a cease-fire arrangement with 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.