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
But Wood’s penitentiary is considerably sturdier.
—
Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
The former president was hospitalized on March 13 after feeling ill at the Papuda penitentiary in the Brazilian capital.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
In 1933 the Department of Justice turned it into a federal penitentiary for prisoners considered especially violent or unmanageable.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Mar. 2026
Behind bars in state penitentiaries in Gatesville and Marlin, Mejia felt forgotten.
—Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for penitentiary
Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
The former president was hospitalized on March 13 after feeling ill at the Papuda penitentiary in the Brazilian capital.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
In 1933 the Department of Justice turned it into a federal penitentiary for prisoners considered especially violent or unmanageable.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Mar. 2026
Behind bars in state penitentiaries in Gatesville and Marlin, Mejia felt forgotten.
—Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for penitentiary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penitentiary
Noun
-
Not only have books been pulled from shelves as a result of these efforts, but writers and publishers have found themselves in prison.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
On January 10, 2019, Denise and Mohamed were found guilty of nearly all charges; later that year, they were sentenced to seven years in prison.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Cities spend millions cycling people through jails for sleeping outside while affordable housing waitlists continue to grow.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
-
He is being held in the county jail on a $15,000 cash bond.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penitentiary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penitentiary. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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