imprison

verb

im·​pris·​on im-ˈpri-zᵊn How to pronounce imprison (audio)
imprisoned; imprisoning; imprisons
Synonyms of imprisonnext

transitive verb

: to put in or as if in prison : confine
imprisonment noun

Examples of imprison in a Sentence

He was imprisoned for murder. He has threatened to imprison his political opponents.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
If convicted on all charges, Cherfilus-McCormick faces up to 53 years in federal prison, while her brother could be imprisoned for a maximum of 35 years. Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 26 Dec. 2025 Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident, was one of the hundreds imprisoned overseas, who lawyers say was wrongfully deported and inadvertently tied to gang activity. Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 24 Dec. 2025 In Argentina and Peru, right-wing politicians have already pushed to efface human-rights laws in order to free military men imprisoned for crimes against humanity. Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2025 Hallas, commander of the Popular Defense Army, told CNN his group is largely composed of men previously imprisoned by the Hamas-run government. Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 20 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for imprison

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French emprisoner, from en- + prison prison

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of imprison was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imprison.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imprison. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

imprison

verb
im·​pris·​on im-ˈpriz-ᵊn How to pronounce imprison (audio)
imprisoned; imprisoning
-ˈpriz-(ə-)niŋ
: to put in or as if in prison
imprisonment noun

Legal Definition

imprison

transitive verb
im·​pris·​on
: to confine in prison especially as punishment for a crime compare false imprisonment
imprisonment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on imprison

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!