inmate

noun

in·​mate ˈin-ˌmāt 

: any of a group occupying a single place of residence

especially : a person confined (as in a prison or hospital)

Examples of inmate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The inmates currently on death row the longest were added in 1979, the department said. —Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 17 Dec. 2025

The inmate had a clemency hearing set before the board set on Tuesday that has also been canceled. —Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025

One inmate said he's seen a dramatic change in his shelter dog, Pumpkin Pie. —Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025

Villa was distributing trays of food to the inmates for lunch. —Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for inmate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

inmate

noun

in·​mate ˈin-ˌmāt 

: a member of a group living in a single residence

especially : a person kept in an institution (as a hospital or prison)

Medical Definition

inmate

noun

in·​mate ˈin-ˌmāt 

: one of a group occupying a single place of residence

especially : a person confined (as in a psychiatric hospital) especially for a long time

Legal Definition

inmate

noun

in·​mate ˈin-ˌmāt 

: a person confined in an institution (as a prison or hospital)