1
as in captivity
the act of confining or the state of being confined
the offense is punishable by a fine or imprisonment
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in incarceration
the state of being held in lawful custody
the long years of imprisonment had taken their toll on his mind and spirit as well as his body
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imprisonment
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
The installation reflects on the children born into imprisonment and the forms of resilience that emerge in spaces defined by restriction.
—Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 1 Feb. 2026
Like DuBois, Robeson’s passport was ultimately revoked, amounting to a kind of imprisonment, Bryant writes.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
His nine years of imprisonment had given him direct, lived knowledge of the judicial system and prison life.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 1 Feb. 2026
Denmark plans tougher deportation laws COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Denmark unveiled a legal reform on Friday allowing foreigners who have been sentenced to at least one year of unconditional imprisonment for serious crimes to be deported.
—Arkansas Online, 31 Jan. 2026
Saylor on Friday imposed a sentence of 12 months concurrent imprisonment on each charge in the newer case, with 11 months to be served concurrently with Tran’s sentence on the last trial and one month consecutive.
—Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
Foro Penal has verified some 200 previously unreported instances of political imprisonment since January 8.
—Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
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
The installation reflects on the children born into imprisonment and the forms of resilience that emerge in spaces defined by restriction.
—Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 1 Feb. 2026
Like DuBois, Robeson’s passport was ultimately revoked, amounting to a kind of imprisonment, Bryant writes.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
His nine years of imprisonment had given him direct, lived knowledge of the judicial system and prison life.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 1 Feb. 2026
Denmark plans tougher deportation laws COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Denmark unveiled a legal reform on Friday allowing foreigners who have been sentenced to at least one year of unconditional imprisonment for serious crimes to be deported.
—Arkansas Online, 31 Jan. 2026
Saylor on Friday imposed a sentence of 12 months concurrent imprisonment on each charge in the newer case, with 11 months to be served concurrently with Tran’s sentence on the last trial and one month consecutive.
—Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
Foro Penal has verified some 200 previously unreported instances of political imprisonment since January 8.
—Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imprisonment
Noun
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Slowly, students, unions and opposition activists are taking advantage of this moment to express their views, probing the limits of free speech after years of repression and the constant threat of detention.—
Manuel Rueda,
NPR,
10 Feb. 2026
-
In response, the Brazilian government created a criminal classification that facilitates measures for the seizure of assets of individuals accused of terrorism, expands the possibility of temporary detention, and establishes penalties of up to 30 years in prison.—
Evandro Cruz Silva,
The Dial,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
-
Detainers are federal requests to local law enforcement to detain individuals for up to 48 hours after they're set to be released from criminal confinement — which gives ICE time to decide whether to take them into custody to begin deportation proceedings.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
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As a result of the parents' confinement, the family dog also only goes outside in a limited capacity.—
Alicia Victoria Lozano,
NBC news,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imprisonment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imprisonment. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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