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

Precision engineering for plasma confinement The inner steel hull blocks heat transfer, which protects external superconducting magnets that operate near absolute zero. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 July 2026

Court documents do not make clear what treatment, if any, Henrichsen received during his confinement. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026

The compulsion to seek out fun in summer heat is driven by a mix of biological boosts, social conditioning, and psychological relief from winter confinement. — Nicole F. Roberts, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Amid the confinement and the sadness of being away from his family, soccer allowed Ayón to forge great friendships like the one with Andrade, who spent a year and a half in immigration detention at the same center, McFarland’s Central Valley Annex. — Albinson Linares, NBC news, 18 July 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