as in penitentiaries
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
joked about the time he passed out on the street and woke up in the pokey
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pokeys
Noun
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This includes providing the Colombian military more leeway in the field, signing a new security agreement with Washington and building 10 mega-prisons that mimic Bukele’s network of penitentiaries in El Salvador.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2026 -
Behind bars in state penitentiaries in Gatesville and Marlin, Mejia felt forgotten.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The teams, which seek to stabilize people experiencing a psychiatric crisis without taking them to crowded jails and hospitals, have drawn support from first responders and county public health directors statewide.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
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His Green New Scam surrendered American Energy Dominance and, by abolishing the Southern Border, Biden let 21 million people from all over the World pour into the United States, including from prisons, jails, mental institutions, and insane asylums.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
Noun
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Guerrero Flores and a few other inmates saw a profitable opportunity as the government neglected prisons.—
Will Weissert,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
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Firing squad members’ identities are confidential by state law, known only to the prisons director and a deputy chief.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
12 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Pokeys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pokeys. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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