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inmate

noun
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in·​mate | \ ˈin-ˌmāt How to pronounce inmate (audio) \

Definition of inmate

: 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 Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office is hiring civilian detention officers to ensure the safety of inmates while in the care, custody and control of the sheriff’s office. — Claire Goodman, Houston Chronicle, "These local companies are hiring right now- no special skills required," 21 Mar. 2020 Fakhoury was formally charged in February by a military judge with the murder and torture of inmates at Khiam Prison. — Kathy Mccormack, Time, "2 Americans Who Were Imprisoned in Lebanon and Iran Released," 20 Mar. 2020 The move comes after judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys have held hearings over several days to reduce the number of inmates currently being held in the downtown jail. — Cory Shaffer, cleveland, "Ohio Supreme Court chief justice calls for 'uniform buy-in’ among judges in response to coronavirus pandemic," 19 Mar. 2020 Every day, thousands of inmates are taken to hospitals for care. — Chris Francescani, ABC News, "Fearing outbreaks and riots, nation’s prison and jail wardens scramble to respond to coronavirus threat," 19 Mar. 2020 Iran has released tens of thousands of Iranian inmates in response to the pandemic. — NBC News, "American released from Iranian prison on medical furlough amid coronavirus outbreak," 19 Mar. 2020 Ohio administrative judge Brendan Sheehan told local Fox affiliate, WJW, that many of Cuyahoga County’s inmates were already in poor health, citing a higher risk to those with underlying health conditions. — Sarah Midkiff, refinery29.com, "Why Incarcerated People Are Being Let Out Of Jail Amid The Coronavirus Outbreak," 18 Mar. 2020 Judges might also have to sign off on the release of some inmates. — New York Times, "Coronavirus Cases in N.Y.C. Near 2,000 as Testing Expands," 18 Mar. 2020 The Macomb County jail has problems: Security supervision, high recidivism and meeting needs of inmates with substance abuse and mental health issues. — Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, "Macomb officials look at fewer beds, lower tax increase for new county jail," 27 Feb. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'inmate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of inmate

1609, in the meaning defined above

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Time Traveler for inmate

Time Traveler

The first known use of inmate was in 1609

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Statistics for inmate

Last Updated

24 Mar 2020

Cite this Entry

“Inmate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inmate. Accessed 29 Mar. 2020.

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More Definitions for inmate

inmate

noun
How to pronounce inmate (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of inmate

: a person who is kept in a prison or mental hospital

See the full definition for inmate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

inmate

noun
in·​mate | \ ˈin-ˌmāt How to pronounce inmate (audio) \

Kids Definition of inmate

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

inmate

noun
in·​mate | \ ˈin-ˌmāt How to pronounce inmate (audio) \

Medical Definition of inmate

: one of a group occupying a single place of residence especially : a person confined (as in a psychiatric hospital) especially for a long time

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inmate

noun
in·​mate | \ ˈin-ˌmāt How to pronounce inmate (audio) \

Legal Definition of inmate

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on inmate

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for inmate

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with inmate

Spanish Central: Translation of inmate

Nglish: Translation of inmate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of inmate for Arabic Speakers

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