1
as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
the ongoing debate whether drug users should go to prison
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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
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Recent Examples of prison
Julie Chrisley, 52, had been serving a seven-year sentence at a federal prison in Kentucky.
—
Kerry Breen
may 30, CBS News, 30 May 2025
The reality stars, best known for their USA Network show Chrisley Knows Best, were each serving years-long prison sentences after being convicted of federal bank fraud and tax evasion charges.
—Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 30 May 2025
On Wednesday, May 28, the couple were released from separate federal prisons.
—Erin Clements, People.com, 30 May 2025
In June 2024, three people were sentenced to eight months in prison after being found guilty of racially abusing Vinicius Jr in that May 2023 match at Valencia.
—Colin Millar, New York Times, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prison
Kerry Breen
may 30, CBS News, 30 May 2025
The reality stars, best known for their USA Network show Chrisley Knows Best, were each serving years-long prison sentences after being convicted of federal bank fraud and tax evasion charges.
—Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 30 May 2025
On Wednesday, May 28, the couple were released from separate federal prisons.
—Erin Clements, People.com, 30 May 2025
In June 2024, three people were sentenced to eight months in prison after being found guilty of racially abusing Vinicius Jr in that May 2023 match at Valencia.
—Colin Millar, New York Times, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prison
Noun
-
In that case, a man incarcerated in a local jail filed a complaint with CLERB alleging that deputies damaged his personal property and mishandled legal documents during a cell search.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2025
-
He was being held in the jail until his sentencing.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander arrives in Israel after being released from Gaza, where he was held in Hamas captivity for 19 months, May 12, 2025, Israel, Reim.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
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Since her escape, Colleen has attempted to live a normal life, though the impact of her captivity still remains with her.—
Makena Gera,
People.com,
20 May 2025
Noun
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The gallows, where 15 penitentiary inmates were executed by hanging, were no longer there.—
Tammy Ljungblad,
Kansas City Star,
17 May 2025
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Instead, Trump took a number of potshots at his sometime opponent during a Tuesday press conference, less than 48 hours after ordering the Bureau of Prisons to reopen Alcatraz as a federal penitentiary.—
Nicole Nixon,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2025
Noun
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In 1917, Woodrow Wilson used the act to curtail the activities and speech of German citizens, leading to the internment of more than 6000 Germans, though they were provided with a hearing.—
Richard Stengel,
Time,
23 May 2025
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The Trump administration justified the deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, a piece of legislation from 1798 that previously was used as defense for Japanese internment camps during World War II.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Poverty is a pretext for surveillance, over-policing and incarceration.—
Rod Adams,
Essence,
25 May 2025
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Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Warren said Friday that the maximum sentence for wire fraud is 20 years of incarceration, a $250,000 fine and three years on supervised release.—
Ryan Oehrli,
Charlotte Observer,
23 May 2025
Noun
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At least nine of the 25 arrested have landed in immigration detention — scattered across the country from a crowded lockup in Miami to a facility in a sleepy Texas railway town to a confinement in a Pacific Northwest port city overlooked by Mount Rainier.—
Hannah Critchfield,
Sun Sentinel,
29 May 2025
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He was subsequently ordered to home confinement in April 2025.—
Caroline Blair,
People.com,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prison. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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