American English
/ˈpʰɹɪ.zə.nɚ/
3 syllables · Stress the first syllable.
A person who is kept in prison, usually because they were found guilty of a crime or are waiting for a trial.
In natural connected speech, some speakers say “prisoner” with the middle vowel very short or missing: /ˈpʰɹɪz.nɚ/. The clear form is /ˈpʰɹɪ.zə.nɚ/.
A person who is kept in prison, usually because they were found guilty of a crime or are waiting for a trial.
The prisoner was moved to another cell.
The prisoner is waiting for trial.
A prisoner is a person. A prison is the place.
prisoners' rights · prisoner release
A person captured and held by an enemy, especially during a war.
The soldiers took three enemy prisoners.
The prisoners were exchanged after the war.
prisoner of war · prisoner exchange
take + someone + prisoner
hold + someone + prisoner
a soldier captured and held by the enemy during a war
He spent two years as a prisoner of war.
to capture and hold someone
The soldiers took the pilot prisoner.
a person jailed because of their political beliefs or activities
The government released several political prisoners.