as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
the citadel was later converted into a bridewell to house the city's growing criminal population
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bridewell
Noun
-
According to online jail records, his bail was set at $250,000.—
Rose Evans,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Jan. 2026 -
The cost of Kansas City’s temporary jail facility could jump by nearly $4 million as a city committee recommend additional funding and waiving environmental building standards to keep the project on track for completion before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But he was most likely transferred there to help publicize the new penitentiary, nicknamed The Rock.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
6 Jan. 2026
-
James was on his way to pick up an immigrant in the federal penitentiary who had finished a criminal sentence.—
Lauren Villagran,
USA Today,
13 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The Department of Justice said Steven Anthony Cowles, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The two counts of second-degree assault could carry up to seven years in prison each, if convicted.—
PJ Green
January 7,
Kansas City Star,
7 Jan. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Bridewell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bridewell. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share