as in prison
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 penitentiary
Crowe’s interplay with the actors who play the other Nazis held in the Nuremberg penitentiary foregrounds the lie that Germany’s greatest mistake was not being meaner.
—
Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2025
It is described on the Bureau of Prisons website as a high-security penitentiary.
—Annette McGivney, Outside, 9 Dec. 2025
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
As convicts were sent to the new Cummins and Tucker prison farms, the penitentiary mostly served as a receiving depot where convicts were initially processed.
—Arkansas Online, 22 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penitentiary
Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2025
It is described on the Bureau of Prisons website as a high-security penitentiary.
—Annette McGivney, Outside, 9 Dec. 2025
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
As convicts were sent to the new Cummins and Tucker prison farms, the penitentiary mostly served as a receiving depot where convicts were initially processed.
—Arkansas Online, 22 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penitentiary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penitentiary
Noun
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The Department of Justice said Steven Anthony Cowles, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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The two counts of second-degree assault could carry up to seven years in prison each, if convicted.—
PJ Green
January 7,
Kansas City Star,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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According to county jail records, Sutherland was arrested shortly after midnight Monday morning, with bail set at $50,000.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
14 Jan. 2026
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Arechiga did not enter a plea at his arraignment Monday in the jail courtroom in Santa Ana.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penitentiary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penitentiary. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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