as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
fittingly, the calaboose in that one-horse town consisted of a single cell
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Recent Examples of calaboose
Heritage Village includes an 1881 two-cell calaboose from Mokena, the 1856 Wells Corner one-room schoolhouse from Homer Glen, the 1863 Greenho farmhouse from Crest Hill, the 1881 Wabash railroad depot from Symerton and a Lockport smokehouse.
—
Jessi Virtusio, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2022
Lachenais was arrested and secured in the local calaboose, but a vigilance committee descended upon the jail and tore Lachenais out of his cell.
—Yxta Maya Murray, Longreads, 19 Aug. 2020
All Chenneville had to do was ride up on his horse, remove the smoking gun or bloody knife from the killer's hand, and drag him to the calaboose—the local jail, which was just down the hall from the police department.
—Skip Hollandsworth, Esquire, 5 Apr. 2016
Jessi Virtusio, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2022
Lachenais was arrested and secured in the local calaboose, but a vigilance committee descended upon the jail and tore Lachenais out of his cell.
—Yxta Maya Murray, Longreads, 19 Aug. 2020
All Chenneville had to do was ride up on his horse, remove the smoking gun or bloody knife from the killer's hand, and drag him to the calaboose—the local jail, which was just down the hall from the police department.
—Skip Hollandsworth, Esquire, 5 Apr. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calaboose
Noun
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Anyone who violated the law could have been charged with a misdemeanor for disorderly conduct, which is punishable by up to six months in county jail and a $1,000 fine.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Nov. 2025
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He is scheduled to appear in court on November 26, according to jail records.—
Jenna Sundel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The wave of prison violence is happening despite the deployment of military and police forces in several penitentiaries.—
Ana María Cañizares,
CNN Money,
10 Nov. 2025
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Meanwhile, his crooked sidekick, Robertson, BOP # 21731-509, is locked up in another good-time penitentiary in Beckley, WV.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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According to records, Martínez faced robbery charges in the US, pleaded guilty, and was released on bail before being arrested and sent to a Salvadoran prison.—
Rocio Muñoz-Ledo,
CNN Money,
12 Nov. 2025
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Filming without consent in certain circumstances is a Class 5 felony, punishable by up to two and a half years in prison.—
Rey Covarrubias Jr,
AZCentral.com,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Calaboose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calaboose. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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