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 Life And Deaths Of Wilson Shedd stars Amanda Seyfried as a creative writing teacher at a maximum security prison who falls for a charismatic inmate played by Scoot McNairy. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026

Last week, Tennessee death row inmate Christa Pike survived after prison officials injected her with two rounds of lethal drugs. — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026

The latest decision, confirmed by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's inmate database, comes less than a year after Newsom reversed her previous parole recommendation. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026

The 74-year-old inmate had been set to die Tuesday for the murder and kidnapping of Sally Ivester in 1976. — David Fischer, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

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)