as in reformative
serving to raise or adjust something to some standard or proper condition
the belief that manual labor was a reformatory experience for convicted felons, who would learn the value of hard work
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in reform school
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reformatory
JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
His mother sent him to the Élan School in Maine, a reformatory boarding institution with extreme forms of discipline, including shouting sessions and boxing matches, that attracted widespread criticism and that led to the school’s closing in 2011.
—Alex Traub, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024
Essence, 13 Feb. 2025
On the cusp of college, he’s instead sentenced to time at a notorious reformatory.
—Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 2 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reformatory
Adjective
While Spanish Catholicism and reformatory Protestantism favored black clothing, much of the Renaissance happened in an explosion of color.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
His mother sent him to the Élan School in Maine, a reformatory boarding institution with extreme forms of discipline, including shouting sessions and boxing matches, that attracted widespread criticism and that led to the school’s closing in 2011.
—Alex Traub, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024
Noun
James Thompson remembered the words of the state psychologist he was required to visit weekly in Charlotte after being released from the state reformatory.
—Essence, 13 Feb. 2025
On the cusp of college, he’s instead sentenced to time at a notorious reformatory.
—Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 2 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reformatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reformatory
Adjective
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As part of the reformative aims of the convict system, many of these men were incarcerated at Fremantle Prison, trained, and put to work on infrastructure projects such as bridges, roads, and public buildings.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
7 Aug. 2025
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Fifty-five years after Martin Luther King's death, African Americans continue to proudly honor his reformative legacy in Phoenix.—
The Arizona Republic,
The Arizona Republic,
14 Jan. 2024
Noun
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At age 9, he was sent to reform school and then spent much of the next two decades of his life in correctional facilities.—
Victoria Edel,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
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After entering reform school at the age of 9, Coe spent most of the next 20 years of his life in and out of prisons for charges ranging from armed robbery to auto theft, according to a 2005 Rolling Stone article.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In a statement last week, Blue Origin said engineers completed their investigation into the upper stage failure and implemented corrective measures ahead of the next New Glenn launch.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
28 May 2026
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Starship will not be cleared to fly again until the FAA approves SpaceX's final investigation report and corrective actions.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Noun
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But the black, confining nunnery space reminds a bit of some medieval dungeon.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
4 June 2026
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Castello di Amorosa, Napa Valley, California Castello di Amorosa is a full-on replica of an Italian castle in the heart of Napa Valley — complete with a dungeon that tends to be a major hit with younger guests.—
Lauren Schuster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 June 2026
Noun
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And this robot training school is a pretty good reflection of that.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 May 2026
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Raye and her two backing vocalists are doing choreographed dance moves a la the Motown training school.—
Peter Larsen,
Daily News,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Stalin was also targeting Polish Catholics, and thousands of these prisoners also survived the gulag.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
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The door locks sound like something out of a 1970s gulag.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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One is a stony oubliette with crystals growing out of the walls.—
Erin Alberty,
Axios,
6 Jan. 2025
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This godown was an oubliette.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harper’s Magazine ,
7 Dec. 2021
Noun
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The rich keep getting richer, and everyone else is getting left behind, at least by comparison.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
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Three stages of filtration keep dust, dirt and pet dander from escaping back into the air.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reformatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reformatory. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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