: any of a group occupying a single place of residence
especially
: a person confined (as in a prison or hospital)
Examples of inmate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Two employees at an Arkansas prison where an inmate escaped in May have been fired for policy violations, officials said.
—
Jade Walker, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
Assigned to a specialized unit called Operation Safe Jails, Meiser was supposed to be monitoring gang members who sell drugs, collect protection money and attack other inmates within the eight facilities overseen by the Sheriff’s Department that collectively hold more than 12,000 men and women.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
The jail has also been home to many other high-profile inmates including singer R. Kelly and socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 10 July 2025
While in jail, Porter was also introduced to an elder inmate for advice.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for inmate
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Jade Walker, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
Assigned to a specialized unit called Operation Safe Jails, Meiser was supposed to be monitoring gang members who sell drugs, collect protection money and attack other inmates within the eight facilities overseen by the Sheriff’s Department that collectively hold more than 12,000 men and women.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
The jail has also been home to many other high-profile inmates including singer R. Kelly and socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 10 July 2025
While in jail, Porter was also introduced to an elder inmate for advice.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for inmate
Cite this Entry
“Inmate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inmate. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inmate
noun
in·mate
ˈin-ˌmāt 
: a member of a group living in a single residence
especially
: a person kept in an institution (as a hospital or prison)
Medical Definition
inmate
noun
in·mate
ˈin-ˌmāt
: one of a group occupying a single place of residence
especially
: a person confined (as in a psychiatric hospital) especially for a long time
Legal Definition
inmate
noun
in·mate
ˈin-ˌmāt
: a person confined in an institution (as a prison or hospital)
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