1
as in limiting
to set bounds or an upper limit for
will confine my remarks to the subject we came here to discuss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imprisoning
to put in or as if in prison
the accused was confined until the trial could take place
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 confining
Arpaio became well known for his harsh treatment of immigrants and jail inmates, confining them in tents without air conditioning in Arizona’s torrid climate.
—
Kevin G. Hall, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Miškinis and writer Eglė Vertelytė (who adapts Rimantas Kmita’s semi-autobiographical novel) masterfully dodge genre tropes, avoiding confining their characters to simplistic labels and keeping the focus of their arcs self-motivated.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025
Constraints give creative energy a direction to travel, shaping the search space while also confining it — just enough that exploration becomes deeper, weirder, and more productive.
—Big Think, 23 Oct. 2025
Here in California, voters approved Proposition 12 in 2018 to set more humane standards for confining farm animals.
—Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 10 Oct. 2025
Forcing them out means confining most of Gaza's population to overcrowded encampments along the coast further south lacking food, medical supplies and space.
—Steven Scheer, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025
Bruni Tedeschi captures her in that vortex — her pulmonary illness confining her to bed one minute and her artistic drives reanimating her with defiant spirit the next.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
Wildlife art can be confining, constricting, customary; contemporary artists are assuring its survival and vibrancy by breaking from the traditional.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Plants are also unbothered by confining pavement and other urban challenges.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025
Kevin G. Hall, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Miškinis and writer Eglė Vertelytė (who adapts Rimantas Kmita’s semi-autobiographical novel) masterfully dodge genre tropes, avoiding confining their characters to simplistic labels and keeping the focus of their arcs self-motivated.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025
Constraints give creative energy a direction to travel, shaping the search space while also confining it — just enough that exploration becomes deeper, weirder, and more productive.
—Big Think, 23 Oct. 2025
Here in California, voters approved Proposition 12 in 2018 to set more humane standards for confining farm animals.
—Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 10 Oct. 2025
Forcing them out means confining most of Gaza's population to overcrowded encampments along the coast further south lacking food, medical supplies and space.
—Steven Scheer, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025
Bruni Tedeschi captures her in that vortex — her pulmonary illness confining her to bed one minute and her artistic drives reanimating her with defiant spirit the next.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
Wildlife art can be confining, constricting, customary; contemporary artists are assuring its survival and vibrancy by breaking from the traditional.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Plants are also unbothered by confining pavement and other urban challenges.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confining
Verb
-
This method prevents clutter by limiting how much can be stacked, keeping everything tidy and accessible.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Health care experts and politicians on both sides of the aisle agree that medical schools must find ways to lower their costs, but critics of the loan caps say limiting federal lending isn’t the answer.—
Tribune News Service,
Oc Register,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
There’s a whole history, actually, of how the Pentagon responded to the epidemic within its ranks, first by imprisoning infected men.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The United States began seizing church property and imprisoning polygamist leaders, coercing church president Wilford Woodruff to end official support for polygamy in 1890.—
Konden Smith Hansen,
The Conversation,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But efforts to mitigate human harms—restricting harvests, remodeling dams, breeding salmon in hatcheries—are yielding diminishing returns.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The onerous covenants include, among others, restricting WBD’s ability to modify, renew or terminate affiliation agreements.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But a federal lawsuit argues authorities are regularly jailing and deporting immigrants who are survivors of human trafficking, domestic abuse and other crimes.—
Julia Marnin,
Sacbee.com,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The state can fairly easily police the requirement that Max be installed on new phones by threatening phone companies that don’t comply or even jailing their executives.—
Justin Sherman,
The Atlantic,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Thanks to his commitment to help others, Tapia has served as a mentor in Cal State DC Scholars, a program in which students earn academic credit while interning in the nation’s capital.—
Larry D. Urish,
Oc Register,
5 Dec. 2025
-
According to one professional biography, Halligan developed an interest in law while interning at the Denver City Attorney's Office in college.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
25 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confining. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share