imprison

verb

im·​pris·​on im-ˈpri-zᵊn How to pronounce imprison (audio)
imprisoned; imprisoning; imprisons

transitive verb

: to put in or as if in prison : confine
imprisonment noun

Examples of imprison in a Sentence

He was imprisoned for murder. He has threatened to imprison his political opponents.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Arafat’s successor, current PA President Mahmoud Abbas, has banished and imprisoned opponents and critics. Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025 Lula was imprisoned in 2018, but he was released in November 2019 after the Supreme Court ruled that defendants can’t be jailed before exhausting appeal options. Chad De Guzman, Time, 12 Sep. 2025 Chea Chan, a Cambodian mechanic who attempted to form Wing Star Shoes’ first independent union, was arrested without a warrant and subsequently imprisoned for six months in early 2024. Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 11 Sep. 2025 Over the past 15 years, Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi has been imprisoned, blindfolded, interrogated, and put under house arrest with a 20-year ban on making films. Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for imprison

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French emprisoner, from en- + prison prison

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of imprison was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imprison.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imprison. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

imprison

verb
im·​pris·​on im-ˈpriz-ᵊn How to pronounce imprison (audio)
imprisoned; imprisoning
-ˈpriz-(ə-)niŋ
: to put in or as if in prison
imprisonment noun

Legal Definition

imprison

transitive verb
im·​pris·​on
: to confine in prison especially as punishment for a crime compare false imprisonment
imprisonment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on imprison

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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