1
as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
the ongoing debate whether drug users should go to prison
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in captivity
the act of confining or the state of being confined
the view that prison does nothing to cure the criminal—if anything, it makes him worse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prison
The measure, known as House Bill 5567, was passed 30-6 by the judiciary committee, which has jurisdiction over the prisons.
—
Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 5 Apr. 2026
If convicted, the four suspects face between five and 99 years in prison, according to local outlet KVUE.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 5 Apr. 2026
Why loyalty programs feel like prisons Remember when frequent flyer programs rewarded, well, frequent flying?
—Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2026
Jones was sentenced to 50 years in prison.
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prison
Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 5 Apr. 2026
If convicted, the four suspects face between five and 99 years in prison, according to local outlet KVUE.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 5 Apr. 2026
Why loyalty programs feel like prisons Remember when frequent flyer programs rewarded, well, frequent flying?
—Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2026
Jones was sentenced to 50 years in prison.
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prison
Noun
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Captain has been released from jail after a judge set bail at $250,000, and he is set to enter a plea on April 9, court records show.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
6 Apr. 2026
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Housing would be freed up by deporting some people and putting others in jail.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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During his captivity, Salomon, who was multilingual, served as a translator between British and Hessian forces — convincing some of them to desert or turn to the American side.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
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On Shabbat, the Acheinu, a prayer for liberating those held in captivity, was recited from the bimah, an elevated platform where sermons are often delivered.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The government opened the federal penitentiary on Alcatraz in 1934, hoping to use the remote island to house particularly difficult prisoners, according to the National Park Service.—
Justine McDaniel,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Apr. 2026
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But Wood’s penitentiary is considerably sturdier.—
Robert Rubsam,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Others flagged for removal included exhibits on slavery and civil rights, LGBTQ history, WWII-era internment camps, and Indigenous histories.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
19 Mar. 2026
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His family moved to Reno, Nevada, to avoid the Japanese internment during World War II.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Her imprisonment became a cause celebre for many on the Right, and hopes were high for her appeal, but on Thursday, the Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed her conviction.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Apr. 2026
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Most importantly, the legislation intensified punishments for those with prior convictions, with the worst offenders looking at a first-degree felony with up to 30 years imprisonment.—
Sean M. Cleary,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Lorincz spoke out for the first time since her arrest, conviction and incarceration in a September 2025 interview with the local ABC affiliate WCJB.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
7 Apr. 2026
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As part of his plea deal, Epstein was allowed to spend the majority of his incarceration working out of the plush personal office, returning to the county jail each night.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Investigators also cited electronic monitoring data showing Pooh Shiesty was at the studio despite being on home confinement for a prior federal firearms conviction.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Shah is now on home confinement, having been released in December 2025 after serving nearly three years in prison.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prison. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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