1
as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
the ongoing debate whether drug users should go to prison
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in captivity
the act of confining or the state of being confined
the view that prison does nothing to cure the criminal—if anything, it makes him worse
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prison
Decastro faces up to a maximum of six years in state prison if convicted of all charges, prosecutors said.
—
Seamus Bozeman,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
He was released on license in 2023 but recalled to prison weeks later for breaching license conditions.
—
Reuters,
NBC news,
2 July 2026
For example, taxpayers could bear the costs of an undocumented immigrant’s long prison sentence even if the person is ultimately going to be deported.
—
Carolyn Komatsoulis
updated July 2,
Idaho Statesman,
2 July 2026
Under Lithuanian law, the theft carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison.
—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for prison
Seamus Bozeman,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
He was released on license in 2023 but recalled to prison weeks later for breaching license conditions.
—
Reuters,
NBC news,
2 July 2026
For example, taxpayers could bear the costs of an undocumented immigrant’s long prison sentence even if the person is ultimately going to be deported.
—
Carolyn Komatsoulis
updated July 2,
Idaho Statesman,
2 July 2026
Under Lithuanian law, the theft carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison.
—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for prison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prison
Noun
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The driver of the fleeing vehicle was booked into the Wyandotte County Detention Center, according to the jail’s inmate listing.
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Epstein served about 13 months in a Florida jail, and was often permitted to leave the jail on work release.
Noun
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When the Spanish settlers decamped for Cuba in 1763 after ceding Florida to the English, the few surviving Tequesta, their numbers decimated by 200 years of captivity and slavery, conflict and ill treatment, are believed to have departed with them.
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Today, 160 servicemembers were released from captivity.
Noun
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Two years ago, a judge freed Anthony Bailey after 27 years in the federal penitentiary, giving him a second chance at life.
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After a federal jury voted to convict him in early 2024, Hernández was sent to a notorious high-security penitentiary in West Virginia to serve his time.
Noun
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During the special, Klepper travels to a peaceful nude bike rally against ICE internment camps holding people without due process.
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In California, language related to the internment of Japanese Americans at the Manzanar National Historic Site, as well as the history of Indigenous people in Death Valley and Muir Woods came under scrutiny.
Noun
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But after his imprisonment, Lilburne’s Proposition became the defining cause of the radical Leveller movement, which subsequently dedicated itself to unlocking all of the revolutionary possibilities lurking in the word equal.
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Badea, who was involved in the conspiracy for less time, was handed eight years’ imprisonment.
Noun
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In the movie Invictus, Nelson Mandela refers to the poem by the same name as something that sustained him during his 27 years of incarceration.
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Layne’s group has pushed county leaders to fund a continuous drug addiction treatment program, expanding access for those who need it both during and after incarceration.
Noun
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In May, they were convicted of first-degree murder, as well as additional charges of confinement, assault with a weapon and failing to provide the necessaries of life.
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Prosecutors in the case argued the one-year sentence is not enough, saying he should have been committed to state prison and received a longer period of confinement.
Cite this Entry
“Prison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prison. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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