big house

noun

Definition of big housenext
slang
as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody told harrowing stories of his years spent in the big house

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for big house
  1. jail
  2. penitentiary
  3. prison
Noun
  • The then-44-year-old actor was sent to Reading Prison, a medium-security lockup, because authorities felt a minimum-security jail would have provided too easy access for reporters.
    — Mark Kennedy, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The Department of Justice has dozens of open investigations into jails and prisons across the country for constitutional violations.
    — Meg Anderson, NPR, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of jail
Noun
  • Beyond the towering brick walls of the Tarrant County Jail, and every other county jail and state penitentiary in the country, lies an out-of-sight-out-of-mind world that most never see, let alone experience.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Mexico has 276 prisons, including 14 federal penitentiaries and 249 state prisons.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of penitentiary
Noun
  • He was handcuffed and taken to prison, a cell the size of a closet and where an orange plastic bucket would serve as his toilet.
    — Mark Kennedy, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Maxwell is the only associate of Epstein to be charged with a crime and sentenced to prison.
    — Ava Berger, NPR, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of prison
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

bigheartedness
big house
big houses
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Big house.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/big%20house. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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