confinement

noun

con·​fine·​ment kən-ˈfīn-mənt How to pronounce confinement (audio)
: an act of confining : the state of being confined
solitary confinement
especially : lying-in

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.
In Ibadan, the biennial activates the New Culture Studio designed by Demas Nwoko (1970), exploring urban and architectural dimensions of confinement. Photovogue, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025 His letters center on a petition written by his lawyers and filed on his behalf that portrays a man shaped by decades of confinement, failing health and personal reckoning. Beatrice Peterson, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2025 These conditions of confinement might mirror what we're used to in prisons and jails and can sometimes be worse. Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 19 Oct. 2025 Inaccurate data can lead to instability, allowing the plasma to escape its magnetic confinement and potentially cause damage to the machine. Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025 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 above

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 29 Oct. 2025.

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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