: 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
But the windows are fake, and the inmates inside—most of whom are awaiting trial—face harrowing conditions.
—
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2025
Many of the fugitive inmates were captured within weeks of their escape.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Prosecutors described him as one of the most dangerous inmates in the facility, and authorities had offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Groves, who had been on the run since May 16 after breaking out of the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans with nine other inmates, was captured in Southwest Atlanta after a standoff with Atlanta Police and US Marshals on Wednesday, Deputy US Marshal Brian Fair said.
—Jason Morris, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inmate
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The New Yorker, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2025
Many of the fugitive inmates were captured within weeks of their escape.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Prosecutors described him as one of the most dangerous inmates in the facility, and authorities had offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Groves, who had been on the run since May 16 after breaking out of the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans with nine other inmates, was captured in Southwest Atlanta after a standoff with Atlanta Police and US Marshals on Wednesday, Deputy US Marshal Brian Fair said.
—Jason Morris, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inmate
Cite this Entry
“Inmate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inmate. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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)
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