Synonyms of imprisonment

imprisonment

noun

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

• captivity
• internment
• incarceration
• prison
• confinement
• impoundment
• servitude
• immurement
• enslavement
• bondage
• arrest
• custody
• restriction
• capture
• detention
• restraint
• entrapment
• house arrest
• detainment
• detainer

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• liberation
• release
• redemption
• emancipation
• freedom
• liberty
• manumission
• independence

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

• incarceration
• detention
• captivity
• confinement
• internment
• arrest
• detainment
• detainer
• immurement
• hold
• seizure
• apprehension
• capture
• arrestment
• collar
• restraint
• entrapment
• pinch
• bust
• enchainment

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• discharge
• release
• freedom
• liberation
• emancipation

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of imprisonment

Renner was charged with second-degree manslaughter and Seymore with unlawful imprisonment, among other charges. — Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 10 July 2026

The Budapest Metropolitan Court on Thursday found the man guilty of murder and sentenced him to 14 years imprisonment without the possibility of parole. — Associate Press, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026

Richards, Jagger, and Jones all went through very public trials and barely escaped imprisonment. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 July 2026

But after his imprisonment, Lilburne’s Proposition became the defining cause of the radical Leveller movement, which subsequently dedicated itself to unlocking all of the revolutionary possibilities lurking in the word equal. — Teresa M. Bejan, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026

The teaser opens with a young Jean Valjean enduring the brutal years of his imprisonment before fast-forwarding to his new life and the inevitable pursuit by Inspector Javert, played by Tahar Rahim. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2026

Callella faces a maximum sentence of two years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, plus one year of supervised release. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026

Violations of section 7217 carries serious criminal penalties, including a maximum five-year term of imprisonment. — Tax Notes Staff, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

The Platte County jury recommended life imprisonment for the murder charges and 15 years imprisonment for the armed criminal actions. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026