prison

noun

ˈpri-zᵊn How to pronounce prison (audio)
Definition of prisonnext
1
as in jail
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 captivity
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

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.
Recent Examples of prison Those charges are similar to the ones leveled against Minneapolis police officers accused in George Floyd’s killing and can carry hefty prison sentences. — Megan Rose, ProPublica, 3 Sep. 2026 For white-collar crime, that means putting more rich (white) guys in prison. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2026 The building at the excavation was previously thought to have served as a prison, due to the shoddiness of its construction and its indifference to aesthetics. — Jim Greer, SPIN, 3 Sep. 2026 In New York prisons and jails, the use of medications for opioid use disorder increased seven times over between 2022 and 2025. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prison
  1. jail
  2. captivity
  3. penitentiary
  4. internment
  5. imprisonment
  6. incarceration
  7. confinement
Noun
  • He was given an option to bypass jail by paying a $250 fine and providing the filings within a week.
    — Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Castro was released from a Texas jail last week after a judge declined to order his return to Minnesota.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of jail
Noun
  • According to the Corps, an estimated 600 Azov brigade servicemen are among the thousands still in Russian captivity.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • During his captivity, his siblings organized weekly jam sessions in his honor at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square.
    — Bianna Golodryga, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of captivity
Noun
  • Beginning in 1908, after federal prisons opened in Atlanta, Georgia, and Leavenworth, Kansas, most federal prisoners were sent to these new federal prisons, and cells began to empty at the West Virginia state penitentiary.
    — Ella Siegrist, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Recent spike in inmate deaths at the penitentiary In fiscal year 2025 – July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025 – the DOC reported 19 deaths within its annual report, the most in a decade.
    — TJ Rhodes, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of penitentiary
Noun
  • Matsui’s response centered on her family’s history in a Japanese internment camp.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Some members of their extended family served in the military during World War II; others were sent to internment camps.
    — Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of internment
Noun
  • Habeas corpus cases are challenges in federal court of detention or imprisonment.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • He was forced into exile for expressing and publishing his beliefs and endured imprisonment and torture.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of imprisonment
Noun
  • Since my incarceration nearly six months ago, my metamorphosis has accelerated with new meaning.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Simply having charges filed can mean a job loss, losing custody of kids, incarceration for months or years waiting for a trial, financial hardship and stigma.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of incarceration
Noun
  • After being released from prison into in-home confinement in December, Shah has officially completed her federal sentence.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • After his original arrest by the Mokena Police Department, Alsaidi was ordered released on conditions of electronic monitoring and home confinement by Will County Judge Theodore Jarz.
    — Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of confinement

Browse Nearby Words

prismatic
prison
prison camp
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prison. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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