confine

1 of 2

noun

con·​fine ˈkän-ˌfīn How to pronounce confine (audio)
also
kən-ˈfīn How to pronounce confine (audio)
1
confines plural
a
: something (such as borders or walls) that encloses
outside the confines of the office or hospitalW. A. Nolen
also : something that restrains
escape from the confines of soot and clutter E. S. Muskie
b
: scope sense 3
work within the confines of a small groupFrank Newman
2
a
archaic : restriction
b
obsolete : prison

confine

2 of 2

verb

con·​fine kən-ˈfīn How to pronounce confine (audio)
confined; confining

transitive verb

1
a
: to hold within a location
Dikes confined the floodwaters.
b
2
: to keep within limits
will confine my remarks to one subject
confiner noun
Choose the Right Synonym for confine

limit, restrict, circumscribe, confine mean to set bounds for.

limit implies setting a point or line (as in time, space, speed, or degree) beyond which something cannot or is not permitted to go.

visits are limited to 30 minutes

restrict suggests a narrowing or tightening or restraining within or as if within an encircling boundary.

laws intended to restrict the freedom of the press

circumscribe stresses a restriction on all sides and by clearly defined boundaries.

the work of the investigating committee was carefully circumscribed

confine suggests severe restraint and a resulting cramping, fettering, or hampering.

our choices were confined by finances

Examples of confine in a Sentence

Verb will confine my remarks to the subject we came here to discuss the accused was confined until the trial could take place
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Yet, Andrews defends his position that Black restaurant owners can venture out of the confines of Soul Food, Caribbean and African cuisines and fast-food haunts. Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024 This cometary origin story, with its mix of ancient humans, vanished megafauna and global cataclysm, quickly spread beyond the confines of scientific journals. Zach St. George, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 Beyond the confines of these splendid residences, a multitude of amenities awaits, meticulously designed to enhance the daily lives of its residents. Prime Development, Kansas City Star, 3 Mar. 2024 Beyond the confines of your own private retreat, Bristowe offers a wealth of amenities designed to cater to your every need. Bang Advertising Staff and Correspondents, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2024 For leaders willing to embark on this journey, the rewards extend far beyond the confines of their current roles, offering a path to a more resilient, innovative, and dynamic future. Curt Steinhorst, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 And in doing so, Estrada and company made something special that represented Latino life in L.A. in a way that resonated far beyond those confines. Alex Zaragoza, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2024 Within the confines of a modest 38mm white gold case, Hermès employs traditional enamel work along with the application of silk threads and colorful leather marquetry in this truly one-of-a-kind design. Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2024 The great players still came, despite the cozy confines. Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024
Verb
How Meyerowitz continues his creative life while she’s confined to recuperating, only trying to survive, becomes another point of friction. Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 16 Mar. 2024 Alexander was confined to the machine for the next seven decades but defied expectations by becoming a lawyer and author. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 After he was paralyzed by polio at age 6, Paul Alexander was confined for much of his life to a yellow iron lung that kept him alive. Jesus Jiménez, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 XPeng's ambitions are not confined to its own cars, either. Mark Andrews, WIRED, 13 Mar. 2024 In Dallas, Texas, Gaia's life was confined to a tiny backyard, because her loyal owner, Sandra, was hospitalized. David Begnaud, CBS News, 11 Mar. 2024 The disease has historically been confined to tropical climates. Terrence McCoy, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024 And something about the disconnect between how far-reaching our thoughts and emotions and ideas can be within our heads, and yet we’re confined to these weird kind of fleshy things that go wrong and need maintaining in a messy and inelegant way. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 During the same period, major novels were released that addressed the country’s history of Black enslavement, long a taboo subject confined mostly to academic journals. Suzanne Nossel, Foreign Affairs, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'confine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English confynyes, borrowed from Latin confīnia, plural of confīnium "common boundary, limit, border," from confīnis "having a common boundary" (from con- con- + -fīnis, adjective derivative of fīnis "boundary, limit, ending") + -ium, suffix of compounded nouns — more at final entry 1

Verb

borrowed from Middle French confiner "to be adjacent, restrain within limits," probably borrowed from Italian confinare, derivative of confine "boundary line, limit," noun derivative from neuter of Latin confīnis "having a common boundary" — more at confine entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1523, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of confine was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near confine

Cite this Entry

“Confine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confine. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

confine

verb
con·​fine
kən-ˈfīn
confined; confining
1
: to keep within limits : restrict
confined the message to twenty words
2
a
: to shut up : imprison
confined for life
b
: to keep indoors
confined with a cold
confinement
kən-ˈfīn-mənt
noun
confiner noun

Medical Definition

confine

transitive verb
con·​fine kən-ˈfīn How to pronounce confine (audio)
confined; confining
: to keep from leaving accustomed quarters (as one's room or bed) under pressure of infirmity, childbirth, or detention

Legal Definition

confine

transitive verb
con·​fine
confined; confining
: to hold within a location
specifically : imprison

More from Merriam-Webster on confine

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