Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

take hostage

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.90 in modern English

Syllables
take hostage
IPA
19
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
1
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To take custody or possession of a person as security for performance against a treaty, a pledge, or a demand, especially now an extra-legal demand; to take as hostage.

Transitive verb

Usage

Inflected Forms

takes hostage (present, singular) taking hostage (participle, present) took hostage (past) taken hostage (participle, past)

Phrases

hold hostage

Frequently Paired Words

hold hostage

Questions

What does take hostage mean?
To take custody or possession of a person as security for performance against a treaty, a pledge, or a demand, especially now an extra-legal demand; to take as hostage.

How to pronounce take hostage

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “take hostage”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “take hostage”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “take hostage” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.