imprison

verb

im·​pris·​on im-ˈpri-zᵊn 

imprisoned; imprisoning; imprisons

transitive verb

: to put in or as if in prison : confine

imprisonment

im-ˈpri-zᵊn-mənt 

noun

Synonyms

• commit
• confine
• immure
• incarcerate
• intern
• jail
• jug
• lock (up)

Examples of imprison in a Sentence

He was imprisoned for murder.

He has threatened to imprison his political opponents.

Recent Examples on the Web

On the other hand is what some might consider a fate worse than death, of living imprisoned in a body entirely without choice, without freedom. —Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 16 May 2025

Mujica was imprisoned for thirteen years, much of it in a solitary underground cell—an experience that nearly drove him mad. —Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 16 May 2025

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard called for Comey to be imprisoned. —Kelsey Walsh, ABC News, 16 May 2025

The Trump administration deported over 200 immigrants to the Central American country in two separate flights after securing a deal with El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, which involved paying the nation's government millions of dollars to imprison migrants. —Billal Rahman jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French emprisoner, from en- + prison prison

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for imprison

• arisen
• kisan
• mizzen
• nisan
• prison
• risen

Kids Definition

imprison

verb

im·​pris·​on im-ˈpriz-ᵊn 

imprisoned; imprisoning

-ˈpriz-(ə-)niŋ

: to put in or as if in prison

imprisonment

-ˈpriz-ən-mənt 

noun

Legal Definition

imprison

transitive verb

im·​pris·​on

: to confine in prison especially as punishment for a crime compare false imprisonment

imprisonment noun