inmate

noun

in·​mate ˈin-ˌmāt How to pronounce inmate (audio)
Synonyms of inmatenext
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Milligan is being held in the Jackson County Jail, according to the jail’s inmate listing. Caroline Zimmerman may 28, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2026 Washington — The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favor of a Black death row inmate from Mississippi who argued racial discrimination during the jury-selection process before his trial. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 28 May 2026 Defense attorneys call for moratorium on Tennessee executions Defense attorneys in Tennessee are calling on the state to stop executing inmates until an ongoing lawsuit over its lethal injection protocol is resolved. Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 28 May 2026 In 2017, Gleeson played Knuckles McGinty, an inmate and prison chef who befriends the titular bear in Paddington 2. Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for inmate

Word History

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inmate was in 1609

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inmate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inmate. Accessed 30 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

inmate

noun
in·​mate ˈin-ˌmāt How to pronounce inmate (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce inmate (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce inmate (audio)
: a person confined in an institution (as a prison or hospital)

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