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
Prisoners look out of their cell at maximum security penitentiary CECOT (Center for the Compulsory Housing of Terrorism) on April 4 in Tecoluca, San Vicente, El Salvador.
—
Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
At Parchman, the state’s troubled penitentiary, corrections workers were urging their colleagues to sign up.
—Kevin Collier, NBC news, 26 Aug. 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
Video released by the prison shows large chunks of debris flying off the roof with what appears to be billows of black storm clouds above the penitentiary.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penitentiary
Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
At Parchman, the state’s troubled penitentiary, corrections workers were urging their colleagues to sign up.
—Kevin Collier, NBC news, 26 Aug. 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
Video released by the prison shows large chunks of debris flying off the roof with what appears to be billows of black storm clouds above the penitentiary.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penitentiary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penitentiary
Noun
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The story would feature voluminous evidence, including Salvadoran intelligence reports, government documents and even prison logs recording the visits of Luna and other Bukele aides to MS-13 leaders.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
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Both Menendez brothers remain in prison after having been denied parole in August of this year, and, in September, a judge denied their petition for a new trial.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Sacramento Police Department initially arrested Hernandez Santana, before he was released from the jail hours later after posting a $200,000 bail bond.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
7 Oct. 2025
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Rachel Fyall, associate professor at the University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, said the cost of not housing people includes emergency room care, jail cells and police on the street.—
Ashley Hiruko,
ProPublica,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penitentiary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penitentiary. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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