Hanoi Hilton
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Hỏa Lò Prison in Vietnam, where prisoners of war were held and tortured.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
The Hilton Hanoi Opera hotel has opened, a few blocks from Hoa Lo, the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” where American prisoners were held during the Vietnam War. (The few remaining cells of that prison have been preserved as a museum.)
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “Hanoi Hilton” mean?
Hỏa Lò Prison in Vietnam, where prisoners of war were held and tortured.
Is “Hanoi Hilton” formal or informal?
Hanoi Hilton is generally slang.