1
as in captivity
the act of confining or the state of being confined
some wild animals take to confinement very poorly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restriction
the act or practice of keeping something (as an activity) within certain boundaries
the confinement of commercial development to one stretch of roadway is intended to help preserve the town's rural character
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of confinement
Risks tied to single-cell confinement and inadequate monitoring?
—
Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
But tight confinement is crucial for success.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 24 May 2026
She likely won’t be sentenced until fall (possibly close to the general election) but will — again, just a likely here — at best face home confinement and at worst more than three years in prison.
—Anita Chabria, Mercury News, 20 May 2026
Still ahead of her were European wanderings; the death of her youngest son, Tad (from pleurisy, at eighteen); and a brief confinement in an Illinois insane asylum.
—Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for confinement
Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
But tight confinement is crucial for success.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 24 May 2026
She likely won’t be sentenced until fall (possibly close to the general election) but will — again, just a likely here — at best face home confinement and at worst more than three years in prison.
—Anita Chabria, Mercury News, 20 May 2026
Still ahead of her were European wanderings; the death of her youngest son, Tad (from pleurisy, at eighteen); and a brief confinement in an Illinois insane asylum.
—Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for confinement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confinement
Noun
-
In conservation circles, the technique is known as headstarting — raise an animal in captivity, release it in the wild.—
Nathan Rott,
NPR,
27 May 2026
-
The critic drew a parallel to Passengers and The Stepford Wives in noting that the horror of Bear’s wish is ultimately a form of captivity that the film occasionally risks framing as a romance complication rather than a moral catastrophe.—
Hannah Abraham,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
These are the only tight restrictions though—the vibe of the property is very go-with-the-flow.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 May 2026
-
Following those restrictions, Huawei accelerated efforts to develop domestic alternatives for critical technologies.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
Tursun, 36, told us that her newborn son — one of triplets — had been killed by the Chinese Communist Party and that she was tortured in internment camps.—
Michael Arkush,
Twin Cities,
26 May 2026
-
Doris Matsui's ads recount her own compelling life story — born in a Japanese internment camp during World War II.—
Steve Large,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
The city’s Lake Austin overlay adds another layer of limitation, regulating how owners can build near the water, including the size, placement and expansion of homes, docks, bulkheads and other shoreline improvements within 1,000 feet of the lake.—
Spencer Elliott,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
The authors were careful to note the limitations of the current evidence.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The judge sentenced him to 57 months of imprisonment for the fentanyl distribution charge and a consecutive 24 months for violating the conditions of his supervised release.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
28 May 2026
-
Kelly's mother, Barbara Renner, is charged with manslaughter, and her daughter, Elyssa Seymore, is charged with unlawful imprisonment.—
Mahsa Saeidi,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Topping made the decision to start sharing her story on TikTok, months before the release of the new Netflix documentary The Crash, which details the events leading up to Shirilla's incarceration.—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
25 May 2026
-
Through incarceration, through death, and doubt.—
Todd Spitzer,
Oc Register,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
That a massive prison in the middle of a swamp turned out to be a boondoggle is a surprise only to Ron DeSantis and James Uthmeier.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 May 2026
-
Kouri Richins listens as she is sentenced to life in prison without parole.—
Natalie Morales,
CBS News,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confinement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confinement. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
