confinement

noun

con·​fine·​ment kən-ˈfīn-mənt How to pronounce confinement (audio)
Synonyms of confinementnext
1
: an act of confining : the state of being confined
solitary confinement
2

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Those are federal requests to local law enforcement to detain individuals for up to 48 hours after they're set to be released from criminal confinement — which gives ICE time to decide whether to take them into custody to begin deportation proceedings. Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026 Her daughters are struggling with the confinement. Meg Anderson, NPR, 22 Jan. 2026 While often seen as a nuisance that reduces confinement, this new research suggests they can be used as a control mechanism. Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 21 Jan. 2026 Thurston was sentenced in November to 18 months in prison, plus a year of home confinement. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for confinement

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of confinement was in 1592

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Confinement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confinement. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.

Medical Definition

confinement

noun
con·​fine·​ment kən-ˈfīn-mənt How to pronounce confinement (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on confinement

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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