confine

1 of 2

noun

con·​fine ˈkän-ˌfīn 

also

kən-ˈfīn 

1

confines plural

a

: something (such as borders or walls) that encloses

outside the confines of the office or hospital

—W. A. Nolen

also : something that restrains

escape from the confines of soot and clutter

—E. S. Muskie

b

: scope sense 3

work within the confines of a small group

—Frank Newman

2

a

archaic : restriction

b

obsolete : prison

confine

2 of 2

verb

con·​fine kən-ˈfīn 

confined; confining

intransitive verb

archaic : border

transitive verb

1

a

: to hold within a location

Dikes confined the floodwaters.

b

: imprison

2

: to keep within limits

will confine my remarks to one subject

confiner noun

Synonyms

Noun

• bound
• boundary
• cap
• ceiling
• end
• extent
• limit
• limitation
• line
• termination

Verb

• cap
• circumscribe
• hold down
• limit
• restrict

Choose the Right Synonym for confine

limit, restrict, circumscribe, confine mean to set bounds for.

limit implies setting a point or line (as in time, space, speed, or degree) beyond which something cannot or is not permitted to go.

visits are limited to 30 minutes

restrict suggests a narrowing or tightening or restraining within or as if within an encircling boundary.

laws intended to restrict the freedom of the press

circumscribe stresses a restriction on all sides and by clearly defined boundaries.

the work of the investigating committee was carefully circumscribed

confine suggests severe restraint and a resulting cramping, fettering, or hampering.

our choices were confined by finances

Examples of confine in a Sentence

Verb

will confine my remarks to the subject we came here to discuss

the accused was confined until the trial could take place

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The pandemic had all of us cooped up at home, and getting outside was one of the first safe ways to escape restrictions and get beyond the confines of the indoors. —Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Sep. 2023

Even when reality stars stay within the confines of the law, there are still times where drinking goes too far. —Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2023

Its claustrophobic confines feature both resplendent, symphonic color and form, and an atmosphere of choking menace. —Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Sep. 2023

While intended mostly for the insular world of academia, Brown’s comments have ignited a firestorm of controversy that has spread far beyond the confines of science journals and has exposed the researcher to both praise and condemnation. —Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2023

The only taste of victory came in a closer-than-expected win at Akron in 2019 and all five losses suffered away from the friendly confines of Birmingham. —Evan Dudley, al, 6 Sep. 2023

For now, the freeze ray remains locked up in the confines of Arkham Asylum. —Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 2 Sep. 2023

The concept of team is truly beautiful and extends far beyond the confines of a locker room and football field. —Eli Manning, Peoplemag, 29 Aug. 2023

In the grand narrative of design and creativity, Shape transcends the confines of being merely a digital tool. —Kristen Lynch, USA TODAY, 8 Aug. 2023

Verb

These outings not only created a more intense bond between humans and pets than what would have formed if the dogs were confined to a backyard but also led to more mental stimulation for the animals. —Julie Lasky, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2023

Looks like it’s confined to the new Fire Max 11 for now, and will land later this year. —WIRED, 20 Sep. 2023

The winds got so wild last year Carter and his colleagues were confined to their tents for nearly a week. —Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2023

The formidable Tyrannosaurus rex, the Velociraptor, and the winged dragons of the Quetzalcoatlus genus could not survive the asteroid and are confined to deep history. —Jamie Thompson, Discover Magazine, 15 Sep. 2023

Pashtun villages enforce a rigid gender segregation, confining women to the home in order to preserve the family’s honor. —Ross McDonnell, The New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2023

Video showed lava spewing from fissures at the crater’s base, but the activity was confined to the crater. —Melissa Alonso, CNN, 11 Sep. 2023

This elliptical novel, narrated by an unnamed woman who is confined to her bed by a high fever, consists of four character studies. —By Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023

Masterson remains confined to the men's jail in Los Angeles but will soon be moved to the Wasco State Prison‑Reception Center, the source said. —Diana Dasrath, NBC News, 11 Sep. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English confynyes, borrowed from Latin confīnia, plural of confīnium "common boundary, limit, border," from confīnis "having a common boundary" (from con- con- + -fīnis, adjective derivative of fīnis "boundary, limit, ending") + -ium, suffix of compounded nouns — more at final entry 1

Verb

borrowed from Middle French confiner "to be adjacent, restrain within limits," probably borrowed from Italian confinare, derivative of confine "boundary line, limit," noun derivative from neuter of Latin confīnis "having a common boundary" — more at confine entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1523, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

confine

verb

con·​fine

kən-ˈfīn

confined; confining

1

: to keep within limits : restrict

confined the message to twenty words

2

a

: to shut up : imprison

confined for life

b

: to keep indoors

confined with a cold

confinement

kən-ˈfīn-mənt

noun

confiner noun

Medical Definition

confine

transitive verb

con·​fine kən-ˈfīn 

confined; confining

: to keep from leaving accustomed quarters (as one's room or bed) under pressure of infirmity, childbirth, or detention

Legal Definition

confine

transitive verb

con·​fine

confined; confining

: to hold within a location

specifically : imprison