1
: a state of confinement or captivity
2
: a place of confinement especially for lawbreakers
specifically
: an institution (such as one under state jurisdiction) for confinement of persons convicted of serious crimes compare jail
Synonyms
Noun
Examples of prison in a Sentence
Noun
The state plans to build two more prisons.
He was in prison at the time.
If caught, they're all going to prison.
She was sent to prison for robbery.
He was released from prison.
He's scheduled to get out of prison next month.
Her marriage became a prison to her.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 13 June 2024
A week in prison for someone with claustrophobia seems a more serious punishment than for the rest of us.
—Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 12 June 2024
Ethan Crumbley pleaded guilty to murdering four students and injuring seven other people, and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
—Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 12 June 2024
In 1975, former Attorney General John N. Mitchell and former White House aides H.R. Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman were sentenced to 2 1/2 to 8 years in prison for their roles in the Watergate cover-up (each ended up serving 1 1/2 years).
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 12 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for prison 
Noun
While in prison, he was tortured, of course — this is routine in police states — and he was also made to work.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 13 June 2024
A week in prison for someone with claustrophobia seems a more serious punishment than for the rest of us.
—Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 12 June 2024
Ethan Crumbley pleaded guilty to murdering four students and injuring seven other people, and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
—Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 12 June 2024
In 1975, former Attorney General John N. Mitchell and former White House aides H.R. Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman were sentenced to 2 1/2 to 8 years in prison for their roles in the Watergate cover-up (each ended up serving 1 1/2 years).
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 12 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for prison
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prison.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near prison
Cite this Entry
“Prison.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prison. Accessed 18 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share