internment

noun

in-ˈtərn-mənt How to pronounce internment (audio)
Definition of internmentnext
as in captivity
the act of confining or the state of being confined the internment of Americans of Japanese descent during World War II is one of the more shameful chapters in United States history

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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 internment Aliens land in Johannesburg in 1982 seeking refuge, but instead they're crammed into an internment camp called District 9. — Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026 Some members of their extended family served in the military during World War II; others were sent to internment camps. — Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026 The facility is the country's largest detention center, which sits on land formerly used for Japanese-American internment camps during World War II. — Catherine Bouvet, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026 While the boys were raised in Hiroshima, their parents and new baby brother were sent to an internment camp in Poston, Arizona, as the fighting continued. — Rina Nakano, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for internment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for internment
  1. captivity
  2. incarceration
  3. imprisonment
  4. confinement
  5. prison
Noun
  • In 1987, biologists captured the last free-flying condor to transfer it to captivity, and the largest flying North American bird species was officially declared extinct in the wild.
    — David Ginsburg, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026
  • But their local expertise, connections, courage, and instincts could stave off death or captivity.
    — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of captivity
Noun
  • Those with misdemeanors can vote or if the person has an unsentenced status with no prior felony conviction unless voting rights have been restored following the release from incarceration for the felony conviction.
    — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The first half of Fielder and Oppenheim’s film chronicles the 34 days leading up to the incarceration of Elizabeth Holmes, founder of the blood-testing technology company Theranos.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of incarceration
Noun
  • According to the church, Wang's family has been permitted fewer than five visits during nearly eight years of imprisonment.
    — Mitch Picasso, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • For some, the potential release of thousands of prisoners doesn’t go far enough to repair the damage of their prolonged imprisonment.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of imprisonment
Noun
  • As such, it could be easily exported to describe Jewish quarters elsewhere—and eventually adapted to describe sites of confinement or exclusion the world over.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In the 1925 novel, the appearance of fledglings symbolizes freedom, confinement and even spiritual rebirth, themes that follow lead characters Clarissa and Sally (whom Edebiri portrays) as the story unfolds.
    — Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of confinement
Noun
  • She was sentenced to just over 11 years in prison, and she and her former boyfriend and business partner Sunny Balwani were ordered to pay $452 million in restitution.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Miranda Orozco, 50, was sentenced to 30 years in prison after admitting to arranging travel and accommodations for two people who died and another who was seriously injured.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of prison

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internists
internment
internments
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Cite this Entry

“Internment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/internment. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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