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

The judge had set their bail at $25,000 each with home confinement, GPS monitoring, and other conditions because of the delays caused by the Quigley allegations disclosure. —Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 19 Mar. 2026

These alternatives are often more effective at reducing recidivism and less costly than secure confinement. —Jeffrey Shook, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2026

Hayes was sentenced to six months of home confinement in May 2022 after pleading guilty to willfully failing to implement anti–money laundering controls at BitMEX—specifically, for allowing American customers to access the platform via VPNs while publicly claiming otherwise. —Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026

Liquid manure in tanks under hog or cattle confinement buildings is pumped to field where it is knifed into the soil. —Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 15 Mar. 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