jail

1 of 2

noun

ˈjāl 

1

: a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody

specifically : such a place under the jurisdiction of a local government (such as a county) for the confinement of persons awaiting trial or those convicted of minor crimes compare prison

2

: confinement in a jail

sentenced to jail

jail

2 of 2

verb

jailed; jailing; jails

transitive verb

: to confine in or as if in a jail

Synonyms of jail

Noun

• prison
• penitentiary

Verb

• imprison
• incarcerate
• intern

Examples of jail in a Sentence

Noun

He was locked up in the county jail.

He was arrested and sent to jail.

He went to jail for his crimes.

He just got out of jail a few weeks ago.

He was kept in jail overnight.

Verb

threatened to jail the punks if they so much as jaywalked

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Under the financing plan, the jail authority will issue bonds periodically, and the county will use revenue from its general fund to pay the principal and interest on the debt through the authority. — Reed Williams, AJC.com, 21 July 2026

Zambada, wearing a tan jail suit over an orange T-shirt, walked gingerly as deputy federal marshals escorted him to and from the courtroom, which was packed with drug enforcement agents and prosecution staff. — Michael R. Sisak, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2026

Verb

Critics say the 12-year rule of his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has marked a crackdown on civil society and jailing of political opponents. — Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 20 July 2026

Otero Alcántara has been the highest profile dissident jailed in Cuba since the July 11, 2021, protests over Cuba’s lack of freedoms and worsening economy. — Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 17 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English jaiole, from Anglo-French gaiole, jaiole, from Late Latin caveola, diminutive of Latin cavea cage — more at cage

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1600, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing jail

• get out of jail free card
• left to rot in jail/prison

Rhymes for jail

• ail
• ale
• bail
• baile
• dail
• fail
• flail
• frail
• gael
• gail
• grail
• hail

Kids Definition

jail

noun

ˈjā(ə)l

: prison

jail verb

Legal Definition

jail

noun

ˈjāl 

: a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody

specifically : such a place under the jurisdiction of a local government (as a county) for the confinement of persons awaiting trial or those convicted of minor crimes compare house of correction, house of detention, lockup, penitentiary, prison

jail transitive verb