1
: a state of confinement or captivity
2
: a place of confinement especially for lawbreakers
specifically
: an institution (such as one under state jurisdiction) for confinement of persons convicted of serious crimes compare jail
Examples of prison in a Sentence
Noun
The state plans to build two more prisons.
He was in prison at the time.
If caught, they're all going to prison.
She was sent to prison for robbery.
He was released from prison.
He's scheduled to get out of prison next month.
Her marriage became a prison to her.
Recent Examples on the Web
NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
On Wednesday, Guatemala’s president announced the plans for a new maximum-security prison for 2,000 inmates that would be complete in a year.
—New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
The prison’s priest, Father Joseph O’Brien (Isaacs), joins forces with Jim Estelle (Kitsch), head of the Texas Department of Corrections, by offering himself as a hostage to out-game Carrasco and his men, in an effort to save the lives of the other hostages that have been taken.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025
Shadi Abu Sido, a Palestinian photojournalist who was among those released from an Israeli prison on Monday, said he was shocked by the widespread devastation that has occurred in Gaza since he was detained in March 2024.
—Diaa Ostaz, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prison
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Noun
Each count faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.
—NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
On Wednesday, Guatemala’s president announced the plans for a new maximum-security prison for 2,000 inmates that would be complete in a year.
—New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
The prison’s priest, Father Joseph O’Brien (Isaacs), joins forces with Jim Estelle (Kitsch), head of the Texas Department of Corrections, by offering himself as a hostage to out-game Carrasco and his men, in an effort to save the lives of the other hostages that have been taken.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025
Shadi Abu Sido, a Palestinian photojournalist who was among those released from an Israeli prison on Monday, said he was shocked by the widespread devastation that has occurred in Gaza since he was detained in March 2024.
—Diaa Ostaz, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prison
Cite this Entry
“Prison.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prison. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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