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

This confinement blocks heat from escaping the zone where the laser hit the target. —Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 6 June 2026

Aurora City Councilman Rob Andrews pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol in Arapahoe County District Court on Tuesday and was sentenced to home confinement, probation and community service. —Katie Langford, Denver Post, 3 June 2026

He was acquitted of two counts of criminal confinement. —Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026

The other, Mark Chavez, was sentenced to three years of supervised release with special conditions of eight months of home confinement and ordered to perform 300 hours of community service. —Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 27 May 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