jailer

noun

jail·​er ˈjā-lər How to pronounce jailer (audio)
variants or less commonly jailor
Synonyms of jailernext
1
: a keeper of a jail
2
: one that restricts another's liberty as if by imprisonment

Examples of jailer in a Sentence

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.
Sometimes there’s a lot of hate—and not just at the jailer, at one another. — Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026 Correctional officers and jailers round out the list as a stand-out category. — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 On Robben Island, in Polsmoor Prison, all of my jailers were Afrikaners. — Hylke Faber, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 When he would get released, his jailers would hand him a phone number to call to get onto Medicaid, the public health insurance program for low-income and disabled Americans. — Julie Wernau, NPR, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for jailer

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of jailer was in the 13th century

Rhymes for jailer

See All Rhymes for jailer

Browse Nearby Words

jail delivery
jailer
jailhouse
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jailer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jailer. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

jailer

noun
jail·​er
variants or jailor
ˈjā-lər How to pronounce jailer (audio)
: a keeper of a jail

Legal Definition

jailer

noun
jail·​er
: a keeper of a jail

More from Merriam-Webster on jailer

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for jailer

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