impound

verb

im·​pound im-ˈpau̇nd 

impounded; impounding; impounds

transitive verb

1

a

: to shut up in or as if in a pound : confine

b

: to seize and hold in the custody of the law

impound a vehicle

c

: to take possession of

… she was dismissed and her manuscript impounded.

—Jonathan Weiner

2

: to collect and confine (water) in or as if in a reservoir

Examples of impound in a Sentence

The police impounded her car because it was illegally parked.

impound evidence for a trial

Recent Examples on the Web

Last September, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with nearby agencies, made 183 stops, issued 30 citations and impounded 25 e-motorcycles during a three-day e-bike and e-moto enforcement effort in Granite Bay and parts of Roseville. —Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 23 June 2026

With the help of the Georgia State Patrol and the APD officers assisting from above, two cars connected with the meet-up were stopped and impounded. —CBS News, 18 June 2026

The Tesla in which she was discovered had been impounded in a Los Angeles tow yard. —Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 17 June 2026

After learning that Casey's car had been impounded, George went to retrieve the vehicle, and discovered a strong smell coming from the trunk. —Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for impound

• abound
• aground
• around
• astound
• background
• campground
• clothbound
• confound
• earthbound
• eastbound
• expound
• fairground

Kids Definition

impound

verb

im·​pound im-ˈpau̇nd 

1

: to shut up in or as if in an enclosed place

2

: to seize and hold in the hands of the law

impound evidence for a trial

impoundment

-ˈpau̇n(d)-mənt

noun

Legal Definition

impound

transitive verb

im·​pound im-ˈpau̇nd 

: to take control of in the custody of the law or by legal authority

impound a vehicle

the police impounded the dwelling until the search warrant was obtained

impoundment noun