confinement

noun

con·​fine·​ment kən-ˈfīn-mənt 

1

: an act of confining : the state of being confined

solitary confinement

2

: lying-in

Synonyms of confinement

• captivity
• internment
• imprisonment
• incarceration
• prison

Examples of confinement in a Sentence

The dog was kept in confinement until it was determined to be healthy.

He remained with his wife during her confinement.

Recent Examples on the Web

Understanding fusion fuel One of the hub’s basic goals is to refine the understanding of inertial confinement fusion (ICF). —Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 19 June 2026

Vishnevski vows to appeal Vishnevski, 33, had been on home confinement at his mother's residence near Boston while awaiting trial. —Molly Parker, CBS News, 16 June 2026

The team played bass-heavy electronic music while slowly moving a microphone through and around the focal region to evaluate both sound quality and confinement. —New Atlas, 14 June 2026

The poor conditions inside detention centers and the prolonged confinement often compel detainees to give up their quest for a court hearing and opt to leave the country of their own accord. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 12 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French, from confiner "to confine entry 2" + -ment -ment

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing confinement

• solitary confinement

Rhymes for confinement

• misalignment
• nonalignment
• realignment
• reassignment
• reconsignment
• alignment
• alinement
• assignment
• consignment
• refinement

Medical Definition

confinement

noun

con·​fine·​ment kən-ˈfīn-mənt 

: an act of confining : the state of being confined

especially : lying-in

Legal Definition

confinement

noun

con·​fine·​ment

1

: the act of confining

2

: the state of being confined