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
Dees was one of hundreds of men being housed out of state in private prisons.
—
Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 29 May 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
What’s more, closing prisons is not popular with the union that represents correctional officers.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
They were founded in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro state prisons, respectively, and have now spread throughout the country.
—ABC News, 28 May 2026
There are around 600 inmates across federal prisons who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, according to federal prison data.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 May 2026
While criticism of past decisions continues to dominate headlines, the operational reality inside federal prisons demands a different focus.
—Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Nasser Abu Srour on surviving torture in Israel’s prisons (tr.
—Literary Hub, 22 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
Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 29 May 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
What’s more, closing prisons is not popular with the union that represents correctional officers.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
They were founded in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro state prisons, respectively, and have now spread throughout the country.
—ABC News, 28 May 2026
There are around 600 inmates across federal prisons who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, according to federal prison data.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 May 2026
While criticism of past decisions continues to dominate headlines, the operational reality inside federal prisons demands a different focus.
—Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Nasser Abu Srour on surviving torture in Israel’s prisons (tr.
—Literary Hub, 22 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prisons
Noun
-
Each of them was taken to Kentucky jails for detention, but the government separated them and held them in different facilities.—
Gregory Royal Pratt,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
To address custody deaths in Los Angeles County jails, Bornman wants to increase staffing and drug searches and look at contracting with outside hospitals and treatment centers for ill and addicted people in jail.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Behind bars in state penitentiaries in Gatesville and Marlin, Mejia felt forgotten.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
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The wave of prison violence is happening despite the deployment of military and police forces in several penitentiaries.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
8 Dec. 2025
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
Cite this Entry
“Prisons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prisons. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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