imprison

1 of 2

verb

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

transitive verb

: to put in or as if in prison : confine
imprisonment
im-ˈpri-zᵊn-mənt How to pronounce imprison (audio)
noun

imprisonment

2 of 2

noun

im·​pris·​on·​ment -zᵊnmənt How to pronounce imprisonment (audio)
plural -s
1
: the act of imprisoning or the state of being imprisoned : confinement, restraint
2
: constraint of a person either by force or by such other coercion as restrains him within limits against his will

Synonyms of imprison

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Verb

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Examples of imprison in a Sentence

Verb He was imprisoned for murder. He has threatened to imprison his political opponents.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Verb
The Sentencing Project, an advocacy group that wants fewer people behind bars, reports that white women were imprisoned at a rate of 41 per 100,000 in 2023, while white men were imprisoned at 341 per 100,000, more than eight times as high. — Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026 The pity of the judge who imprisoned them here was cold comfort for a group of people who had little reason to trust any legal authority. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026 Pulido had been imprisoned in Venezuela since 2023 in connection with the PDVSA-Cripto corruption investigation. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026 Blacks in the South were routinely imprisoned on petty or trumped-up charges, then leased out to landowners, mining companies, railroads and factories as unpaid labor. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for imprison

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

Noun

Middle English enprisonment, inprisonment, from Middle French emprisonnement, from Old French, from emprisoner + -ment

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Rhymes for imprison

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Browse Nearby Words

imprinting
imprison
imprisonable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imprison.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imprison. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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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
-ˈpriz-ən-mənt How to pronounce imprison (audio)
noun

Legal Definition

imprison

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