as in prisons
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
a sentence in the state penitentiary for robbery
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Recent Examples of penitentiaries
Behind bars in state penitentiaries in Gatesville and Marlin, Mejia felt forgotten.
—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
The wave of prison violence is happening despite the deployment of military and police forces in several penitentiaries.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 8 Dec. 2025
After his conviction, Gray was sent to Angola, one of the most violent penitentiaries in the country at the time.
—Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2025
Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
The wave of prison violence is happening despite the deployment of military and police forces in several penitentiaries.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 8 Dec. 2025
After his conviction, Gray was sent to Angola, one of the most violent penitentiaries in the country at the time.
—Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penitentiaries
Noun
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The federal Department of Justice announced an investigation into California’s correctional system Thursday over the state’s policy of housing incarcerated transgender women in female prisons.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
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Most prisons house multiple levels, and only four hold level V inmates, though not exclusively.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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After learning some defendants were sitting in Colorado jails for years, the federal government began fining the state $12 million a year.—
Shaun Boyd,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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The number of people in local jails who are transferred to immigration authorities has plummeted since SB 54 went into effect in 2018.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penitentiaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penitentiaries. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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