1
as in captivity
the act of confining or the state of being confined
some wild animals take to confinement very poorly
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of confinement
Harpman, who died in 2012, was a psychoanalyst, and her writing is attuned to the psychic damage caused by confinement.
—
Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Chavez, who once ran a ketamine clinic, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and was sentenced to eight months home confinement in December 2025.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
That implies near-total confinement to a cell, meals delivered through a slot in the door, little or no contact with other inmates, and limited recreation, usually alone.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
Prosecutors requested a 21-month prison sentence, but Minkler advocated three years probation or probation and home confinement instead of prison time.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confinement
Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Chavez, who once ran a ketamine clinic, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and was sentenced to eight months home confinement in December 2025.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
That implies near-total confinement to a cell, meals delivered through a slot in the door, little or no contact with other inmates, and limited recreation, usually alone.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
Prosecutors requested a 21-month prison sentence, but Minkler advocated three years probation or probation and home confinement instead of prison time.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confinement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confinement
Noun
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During his captivity, Salomon, who was multilingual, served as a translator between British and Hessian forces — convincing some of them to desert or turn to the American side.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
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On Shabbat, the Acheinu, a prayer for liberating those held in captivity, was recited from the bimah, an elevated platform where sermons are often delivered.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Alarmed civic officials across the West have already begun ordering restrictions on watering lawns, cleaning cars and even whether restaurant patrons get served glasses of water.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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Regional restrictions may apply.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Others flagged for removal included exhibits on slavery and civil rights, LGBTQ history, WWII-era internment camps, and Indigenous histories.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
19 Mar. 2026
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His family moved to Reno, Nevada, to avoid the Japanese internment during World War II.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There were some limitations to the surveillance, the agency acknowledged.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
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When Ichimoku works best—and its limitations Ichimoku tends to work best in trending markets.—
Karl Montevirgen,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Her imprisonment became a cause celebre for many on the Right, and hopes were high for her appeal, but on Thursday, the Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed her conviction.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Apr. 2026
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Most importantly, the legislation intensified punishments for those with prior convictions, with the worst offenders looking at a first-degree felony with up to 30 years imprisonment.—
Sean M. Cleary,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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An error in a legal brief could lead to an innocent person’s incarceration.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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The 1991 movie stars Nick Nolte as Sam Bowden, the one-time public defender who Cady haunts, blaming his long prison incarceration for rape on purposefully faulty defense tactics.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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He was beaten by security forces, arrested and sentenced to 14 years in prison.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
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During his 12-year pontificate, Francis famously celebrated the Holy Thursday ritual by traveling to Rome-area prisons and refugee centers to wash the feet of people most on society’s margins.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confinement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confinement. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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