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

Myers, who died of an untreated seizure disorder, lay on his cell floor for hours before he was discovered, despite jailers being required to check on inmates every 20 minutes. —Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Sep. 2025

Abd El-Fattah was most recently imprisoned for six years, over a 2019 Facebook post about the death of an inmate. —James Folta, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025

Jackson County is moving its inmates into its new $317 million detention center next spring. —Pj Green september 24, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2025

The other models generally allow jails to hold inmates for 72 hours beyond the time state law would require them to be released to give ICE time to pick them up. —Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 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)