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Glite Dictionary
ransom money

ransom money

11 4.4
Money paid or asked to free a kidnapped person
  • noun
  • /ˈrænsəm ˈmʌni/
: rescate
  • After receiving the demand, the family gathered the ransom money to ensure their loved one's safe return.
  • pay the ransom money
  • recover the ransom money
  • demand ransom money

He kidnaps Frank Provocci, that Joe's brother and Joe Maglioco, who's the underboss of the family at that time and some other people for ransom money.

Examples

  • Chances are, even as we speak the ransom money's been paid, and Mrs. Dunbar is safely on her way home.

    Cremaster 3 (2002)

  • We announce I have the ransom money, all four million.

    All the Money in the World (2017)

  • You want to know where the ransom money is?

    Return to Sender (2004)

  • Well, it's not about the ransom money.

    Kickboxer: Retaliation (2018)

  • I repeat, the ransom money is not in the bag.

    Highest 2 Lowest (2025)

  • You were down there to steal the ransom money.

    Horrible Bosses 2 (2014)

  • And then when I got kidnapped, you wouldn't even pay the ransom money!

    Screwed (2000)

  • The terrorists were allowed to disperse, and Carlos himself is believed to have collected millions of dollars in ransom money.

    Academic text (2001)

  • My dad is probably dumping ransom money into some offshore account and any day now a helicopter is going to land and save me and you're just screwin' with me til then.

    Call of the Wolf (2017)

  • The police found the ransom money hidden in a nearby warehouse after the hostage was released.

Synonyms

ransom
vsransom money
115 4.1

Money paid to free a kidnapped or captured person

has identical meaning but is phrased as the compound mentioning the payment

Antonyms

donation
359 1.9

Money, goods, or time given to help others and organizations

How Much

king's ransom
  • Informal
3 7.5
ransom money
11 4.4

Surface Forms

ransom money singular
ransom moneys plural

Morphology

ransom + money

Both constituents contribute directly to the meaning: 'ransom' denotes a sum demanded for release and 'money' denotes currency, so together they literally mean money demanded or paid for a release. This is a compositional, cross-linguistically common construction, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand the expression.

Etymology

Ransom money comes from the old practice of holding a person until someone paid ransom — that is, money — to get them back. So today ransom money means the payment demanded or paid for the 'release' of someone who has been 'kidnapped'.