Definition of confinementnext
1
2
as in restriction
the act or practice of keeping something (as an activity) within certain boundaries the confinement of commercial development to one stretch of roadway is intended to help preserve the town's rural character

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of confinement Federal prosecutors are recommending Claustro serve time in home confinement, rather than prison, along with probation. Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 28 Jan. 2026 Her daughters are struggling with the confinement. Meg Anderson, NPR, 22 Jan. 2026 While often seen as a nuisance that reduces confinement, this new research suggests they can be used as a control mechanism. Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 21 Jan. 2026 Thurston was sentenced in November to 18 months in prison, plus a year of home confinement. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for confinement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confinement
Noun
  • David and Ariel Cunio, who were among the last Israeli hostages to be freed from Gaza after two years of captivity last October, will travel to Berlin next week for a screening of Tom Shoval’s A Letter To David – The Complete Version.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Under the terms of the Dix-Hill agreement, some 30,000 prisoners were returned from captivity by the fall, but the formal exchange arrangement was soon upended.
    Drew Gilpin Faust, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The company also points out that pigeons can operate in areas where drones face airspace restrictions.
    Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The golden mussel is a serious threat, and officials say most boat owners seem to understand that and accept the new restrictions.
    John Ramos, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Flags at Indiana's state facilities will remain at half-staff until sunset on the day of Hamilton's internment, according to the release.
    John Tufts, IndyStar, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Lillian Greenhut's late husband, Kurt Greenhut, was a child Holocaust survivor who endured internment in a concentration camp.
    Charlie Lapastora, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The study, which was published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, had several limitations, the researchers acknowledged.
    Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Experts say another common and often overlooked limitation of anticoagulants is that even with the newer generation of the drugs, doctors need to take care to prescribe the appropriate drug and dose for a patient.
    David Cox, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • He is charged with grand larceny, kidnapping, unauthorized use of a vehicle and unlawful imprisonment, cops said.
    Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Bukele brought murder rates in El Salvador to historic lows through a gargantuan imprisonment campaign and police crackdown, but faces numerous allegations of human rights violations, especially regarding his notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT).
    Djenane Villanueva, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • During more than 21 years of incarceration on death row at Idaho’s maximum security prison south of Boise, Hall repeatedly appealed his convictions in state and federal court.
    Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The hospital cleared him for incarceration with a Narcan prescription and instructions to return to the emergency room if symptoms worsened, the lawsuit alleged.
    Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Given his age, the prison term still could keep him behind bars for the rest of his life.
    Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Hong Kong — Former Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, ending a years-long legal battle that has come to define Beijing’s transformational crackdown on the once-freewheeling financial hub.
    Chris Lau, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Confinement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confinement. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on confinement

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!