1
as in jails
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 captivities
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 prisons
Guerrero Flores and a few other inmates saw a profitable opportunity as the government neglected prisons.
—
Will Weissert, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026
Firing squad members’ identities are confidential by state law, known only to the prisons director and a deputy chief.
—Idaho Statesman, 12 June 2026
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, 11 June 2026
Rivals relentlessly attacked Steyer for some of the sources of his wealth, from private prisons to fossil fuels.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 10 June 2026
Colorado voters passed Amendment A, a ballot measure touted as an end to slavery in state prisons in 2018.
—Julia Bowling, The Conversation, 29 May 2026
Rebels and others are opening the gates of Assad’s many prisons, and the world is watching as captives walk from their cells to freedom.
—Tony Hunter, Sun Sentinel, 24 Dec. 2024
However, the prisons and camps are in a critical situation because who is guarding them?
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 19 Dec. 2024
Launched at New York’s Sing Sing Correctional Facility in 1996, RTA has grown from a single theater workshop to a comprehensive arts program in multiple prisons in the state and is a world leader in arts-in-prison programming, the organization said.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 10 Dec. 2024
Will Weissert, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026
Firing squad members’ identities are confidential by state law, known only to the prisons director and a deputy chief.
—Idaho Statesman, 12 June 2026
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, 11 June 2026
Rivals relentlessly attacked Steyer for some of the sources of his wealth, from private prisons to fossil fuels.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 10 June 2026
Colorado voters passed Amendment A, a ballot measure touted as an end to slavery in state prisons in 2018.
—Julia Bowling, The Conversation, 29 May 2026
Rebels and others are opening the gates of Assad’s many prisons, and the world is watching as captives walk from their cells to freedom.
—Tony Hunter, Sun Sentinel, 24 Dec. 2024
However, the prisons and camps are in a critical situation because who is guarding them?
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 19 Dec. 2024
Launched at New York’s Sing Sing Correctional Facility in 1996, RTA has grown from a single theater workshop to a comprehensive arts program in multiple prisons in the state and is a world leader in arts-in-prison programming, the organization said.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 10 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prisons
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
Once a technically complicated legal rarity used to challenge improper incarcerations, habeas corpus petitions have become the predominant avenue for immigrants seeking release from detentions that increasingly end only with a deportation order.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Despite their felony convictions and impending incarcerations, both former Met police career criminals continue to collect their monthly kisses in the mail — $8,850 a month for Cederquist and $6,020 for Butner.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
4 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Prisons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prisons. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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