as in imprisoning
to put in or as if in prison
threatened to jail the punks if they so much as jaywalked
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Recent Examples of jailing
Symbolic political prisoner releases bring hope The Chavismo movement has been accused of jailing political prisoners for decades and holding them in the infamous Helicoide prison, controlled by the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN).
—
Flora Charner, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
There were massacres, suppression of speech, banning of political opposition, closing of non-Islamist press, jailing of opponents and public executions of political and religious enemies.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
Many observers in Latin America do not regard Bukele’s approach—suspending constitutional rights such as due process and freedom of assembly, and jailing about two percent of the country’s adult population—as particularly problematic.
—Brian Winter, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Sherrone Moore’s dismissal from the Michigan Wolverines football program and the ongoing controversy stemming from his jailing on Wednesday night has been a major point of discussion in the sports world.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 11 Dec. 2025
Outside the federal police headquarters, some pro-Bolsonaro protesters held banners calling for Lula and de Moraes to be removed from their posts, while detractors of the former president celebrated his jailing.
—Arkansas Online, 24 Nov. 2025
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
Subsequent reports revealed that Bolsonaro and his allies had devised a baroque plot to regain power, which included jailing and possibly murdering their political opponents.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2025
Flora Charner, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
There were massacres, suppression of speech, banning of political opposition, closing of non-Islamist press, jailing of opponents and public executions of political and religious enemies.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
Many observers in Latin America do not regard Bukele’s approach—suspending constitutional rights such as due process and freedom of assembly, and jailing about two percent of the country’s adult population—as particularly problematic.
—Brian Winter, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Sherrone Moore’s dismissal from the Michigan Wolverines football program and the ongoing controversy stemming from his jailing on Wednesday night has been a major point of discussion in the sports world.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 11 Dec. 2025
Outside the federal police headquarters, some pro-Bolsonaro protesters held banners calling for Lula and de Moraes to be removed from their posts, while detractors of the former president celebrated his jailing.
—Arkansas Online, 24 Nov. 2025
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
Subsequent reports revealed that Bolsonaro and his allies had devised a baroque plot to regain power, which included jailing and possibly murdering their political opponents.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jailing
Verb
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For decades, the Islamic Republic has neutered its domestic opposition, imprisoning its critics including former presidents.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
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Maduro ruled Venezuela's 28 million people as an autocrat, imprisoning his opposition and leaving the economy of an oil rich nation in shambles.—
Scott Pelley,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After losing her job as a social worker in 2008, Scott found work as a cruise ship chef before leaving to study at the Culinary Institute of New York and interning at the Food Network.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Jan. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Jailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jailing. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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