1
as in captivity
the act of confining or the state of being confined
the offense is punishable by a fine or imprisonment
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in incarceration
the state of being held in lawful custody
the long years of imprisonment had taken their toll on his mind and spirit as well as his body
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of imprisonment
Further out, a cemetery monument stands in honor of the 150 people who died at the camp during their imprisonment.
—
Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 21 Apr. 2026
The government did not specify the nature of the alternative measures, a term that in Venezuela’s legal system can include a range of restrictions short of full imprisonment.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
There are countless cases in which federal courts found harsh and inadequate conditions of imprisonment that violate the Constitution.
—Erwin Chemerinsky, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
Tarrio was notably sentenced to the longest term of imprisonment among all of the nearly 1,600 individuals charged in connection with the attack.
—Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
The two leaders have since reconciled and been on cordial terms, despite Bolsonaro’s imprisonment and allegations of mistreatment.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 14 Apr. 2026
Bateman rose to power after the FLDS group fell into chaos following the imprisonment of longtime leader Jeffs, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
—Aya Al-Hakim, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
Tasha Beamon, 48, was charged with vulnerable adult abuse and unlawful imprisonment.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026
The prison prophecy Trust Me's first episode catches up with the Short Creek FLDS offshoot group before Bateman's infiltration, but after Jeff's imprisonment.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 2026
Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 21 Apr. 2026
The government did not specify the nature of the alternative measures, a term that in Venezuela’s legal system can include a range of restrictions short of full imprisonment.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
There are countless cases in which federal courts found harsh and inadequate conditions of imprisonment that violate the Constitution.
—Erwin Chemerinsky, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
Tarrio was notably sentenced to the longest term of imprisonment among all of the nearly 1,600 individuals charged in connection with the attack.
—Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
The two leaders have since reconciled and been on cordial terms, despite Bolsonaro’s imprisonment and allegations of mistreatment.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 14 Apr. 2026
Bateman rose to power after the FLDS group fell into chaos following the imprisonment of longtime leader Jeffs, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
—Aya Al-Hakim, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
Tasha Beamon, 48, was charged with vulnerable adult abuse and unlawful imprisonment.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026
The prison prophecy Trust Me's first episode catches up with the Short Creek FLDS offshoot group before Bateman's infiltration, but after Jeff's imprisonment.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imprisonment
Noun
-
With each step forward in negotiations toward a deal, Braslavski said his condition gradually improved until he was released in October 2025 after 738 days in captivity.—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The exhibition also explores the impacts of captivity, environmental threats facing certain orca populations and the broader relationship between humans and marine ecosystems, according to museum officials.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At one point, early in his incarceration, Maduro seems to have been kept in a unit designed for solitary confinement, as is often the case for inmates of his status.—
Diego Lasarte,
New Yorker,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Facing a brutal system throughout her incarceration – compounded by her transgender identity and HIV-positive diagnosis – Dee taught herself the law from within the prison library, working to fight an unjust system for herself and others.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Though ostracized in their time, people who resisted internment are now seen as civil-rights pioneers.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The Chinese government launched a brutal crackdown in Xinjiang starting in 2017, sweeping a million or more Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other predominantly Muslim ethnicities into prisons and internment camps.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Hoshieh says one of her sons was killed by Israeli military gunfire in January 2023, while a second is held in Israeli administrative detention.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Ruben has spent two years at a juvenile detention facility, and Niall doesn’t want him as a classmate.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Householder is serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2023 of orchestrating the scheme, which FirstEnergy has admitted to underwriting.—
Julie Carr Smyth,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Ware is being held at the Clay County Detention Center while awaiting trial, and his escape resulted in an additional charge of felony prison breach and escape, jail records show.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Suhail pleaded not guilty on Wednesday and was released on $5 million bond, ordered to remain on home confinement.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Colette, Mark Twain, and William Wordsworth all wrote habitually from bed, for reasons having to do with infirmity, comfort, and warding off distraction; Frida Kahlo painted self-portraits from bed, including the dreams that transcended her physical confinement.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imprisonment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imprisonment. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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