captive audience
noun
: a person or people who are unable to leave a place and are thus forced to listen to what is being said
The passengers on the plane were a captive audience.
Examples of captive audience in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The move toward a more captive audience at Churchill Downs, where ticket-holders are provided with food and beverage inclusivity, has left restaurants with an even smaller piece of the pie.
—
Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 26 July 2025
In turn, agencies are eager to take hold of a new captive audience, striking while the iron is hot to lead a new generation of influencer into a booming market.
—Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 17 July 2025
The Islanders, up until recently, have spent their time competing in saucy challenges, hooking up and breaking up at the Fijian villa in front of a captive audience.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 13 July 2025
The patio tables are filled with a captive audience on a Tuesday night at the Little Woodrow’s bar in Fort Worth’s West 7th district.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2025
In his 17th start of the season, Skubal held a captive audience.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 30 June 2025
Critics argue that the lack of competition and captive audience at airports give vendors unfair pricing power.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
But companies have employees as a captive audience for maybe 40 hours a week.
—Tyler Shepherd, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
One concern about living the resort life, especially for a foodie craving som tum and kaprow moo sop kai dow, is that a captive audience equates to mediocre food.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
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Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 26 July 2025
In turn, agencies are eager to take hold of a new captive audience, striking while the iron is hot to lead a new generation of influencer into a booming market.
—Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 17 July 2025
The Islanders, up until recently, have spent their time competing in saucy challenges, hooking up and breaking up at the Fijian villa in front of a captive audience.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 13 July 2025
The patio tables are filled with a captive audience on a Tuesday night at the Little Woodrow’s bar in Fort Worth’s West 7th district.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2025
In his 17th start of the season, Skubal held a captive audience.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 30 June 2025
Critics argue that the lack of competition and captive audience at airports give vendors unfair pricing power.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
But companies have employees as a captive audience for maybe 40 hours a week.
—Tyler Shepherd, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
One concern about living the resort life, especially for a foodie craving som tum and kaprow moo sop kai dow, is that a captive audience equates to mediocre food.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Captive audience.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/captive%20audience. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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