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

Since the shootings, Radford has been held in pretrial confinement at a Navy brig in Charleston, South Carolina. —CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025

Most experts agree that significant technical hurdles in plasma confinement, tritium fuel cycle management, and first-wall materials must be overcome before commercial fusion becomes reality. —Dave Smith, Fortune, 18 Dec. 2025

The alternative approach, using a stellarator design, is less power-intensive for plasma confinement but is asymmetric. —Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 16 Dec. 2025

The government asked for a sentence of six months home confinement that included a two-year term of supervised release as well as at least 300 hours of community service. —Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 16 Dec. 2025

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