prison

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noun pris·on \ˈpri-z^ən\

Definition of prison

1 : a state of confinement or captivity
2 : a place of confinement especially for lawbreakers; specifically : an institution (such as one under state jurisdiction) for confinement of persons convicted of serious crimes — compare jail

See prison defined for English-language learners

See prison defined for kids

Examples of prison in a Sentence

The state plans to build two more prisons.
He was in prison at the time.
If caught, they're all going to prison.
She was sent to prison for robbery.
He was released from prison.
He's scheduled to get out of prison next month.
Her marriage became a prison to her.

Recent Examples of prison from the Web

Mr. Basuki was later sentenced to two years in prison for blasphemy after making comments deemed insulting to Islam.

— jon emont, New York Times, "As Indonesia Targets Islamist Hard-Liners, Even Rights Groups Object," 19 July 2017
The shirts that the team are wearing refer to Nelson Mandela's prison number.(AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)

— matt giles, longreads.com, "Remembering Nelson Mandela’s Contribution to Sports," 19 July 2017
Miller gave Hinton five years in prison, plus five years intensive probation.

— andrew dys, charlotteobserver, "Mentally ill son who killed prominent Rock Hill lawyer gets five years in prison," 19 July 2017
Burns sentenced Spadoni, most recently the treasurer of a Quaker meeting in Pennsylvania, to two years in prison last year.

— edmund h. mahony, courant.com, "Figure from Rowland-Era Treasury Scandal Seeks Return of His Law License," 19 July 2017
The former U.S. Marine charged with gunning down a Coeur d’Alene pastor in 2016 has pleaded guilty and will face a maximum of 25 years in prison.

— thomas clouse, idahostatesman, "Idaho man accused of shooting pastor, fleeing the state accepts plea deal," 18 July 2017
A country that contracts out the operations of prisons to the lowest private bidder isn’t a country that can rehabilitate its criminals.

— jonathan kay, The Atlantic, "Why Canada Is Able to Do Things Better," 17 July 2017
Prosecutors argued that Womack should be sentenced to two years in prison.

— tony rizzo, kansascity, "Mission Hills woman sentenced to prison for lying to feds about Cayman Island businesses," 17 July 2017
Airline crew training at @Delta: Replicate Stanley Milgram's prison experiment at Yale, inducing normal ppl to brutally torture fellow man.

— madison malone kircher, The Cut, "Ann Coulter Is So Hated, People Are Rooting for Delta in Their Twitter Beef," 17 July 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of prison

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin prehension-, prehensio act of seizing, from prehendere to seize — more at get

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First Known Use: 12th century

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prison

verb pris·on

Definition of prison

transitive verb
: imprison, confine

First Known Use of prison

14th century

PRISON Defined for English Language Learners

prison

play

noun

Definition of prison for English Language Learners

: a building where people are kept as punishment for a crime or while they are waiting to go to court
: a place or situation from which you cannot escape

PRISON Defined for Kids

prison

play

noun pris·on \ˈpri-z^ən\

Definition of prison for Students

: a place where criminals are locked up

Law Dictionary

prison

noun pris·on

Legal Definition of prison

: an institution usually under state control for confinement of persons serving sentences for serious crimes — compare house of correction, house of detention, jail, lockup, penitentiary