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

• jail
• incarcerate

Examples of imprison in a Sentence

He was imprisoned for murder.

He has threatened to imprison his political opponents.

Recent Examples on the Web

Hundreds and possibly as many as thousands of scientists were imprisoned, and some were sentenced to death – denounced as enemies of the state. —D. Scott Schmid, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025

The government should not imprison individuals without presenting evidence of wrongdoing. —Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 22 Sep. 2025

The French subsequently imprisoned Louverture without a trial in the Fort de Joux in the Jura Mountains near Switzerland. —Marlene L. Daut september 22, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025

His father, a former military officer, was imprisoned following the Iranian revolution until his mother was able to negotiate his release with prison guards, according to reporting by the New York Times. —Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 18 Sep. 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