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
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Recent Examples of prison
Garrett, who was also sentenced to death, died in prison in 1993 from complications related to hepatitis.
—
Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
The city hired a second firm to represent Watts, as the city was legally responsible for covering legal judgments against him despite his federal prison sentence for shaking down a drug courier.
—Joe Mahr, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
If convicted, Gerhardt Konig faces a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
Johnson-Swartz was sentenced recently to 14 years in prison.
—Logan Smith, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prison
Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
The city hired a second firm to represent Watts, as the city was legally responsible for covering legal judgments against him despite his federal prison sentence for shaking down a drug courier.
—Joe Mahr, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
If convicted, Gerhardt Konig faces a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
Johnson-Swartz was sentenced recently to 14 years in prison.
—Logan Smith, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prison
Noun
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This center could break that cycle by getting them the specialized treatment that the jail cannot and does not provide.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Ramsey, 53, has been held in a Dallas County, Iowa, jail since March 17, with bail set at $2 million.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The exhibition will also examine orca behavior, including social structures and communication, as well as issues such as captivity and the status of various populations, museum officials said.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
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Robert Rubsam on a novel about women who trade one kind of captivity for another.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But Wood’s penitentiary is considerably sturdier.—
Robert Rubsam,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
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The former president was hospitalized on March 13 after feeling ill at the Papuda penitentiary in the Brazilian capital.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Others flagged for removal included exhibits on slavery and civil rights, LGBTQ history, WWII-era internment camps, and Indigenous histories.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
19 Mar. 2026
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His family moved to Reno, Nevada, to avoid the Japanese internment during World War II.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Her imprisonment became a cause celebre for many on the Right, and hopes were high for her appeal, but on Thursday, the Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed her conviction.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Apr. 2026
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Most importantly, the legislation intensified punishments for those with prior convictions, with the worst offenders looking at a first-degree felony with up to 30 years imprisonment.—
Sean M. Cleary,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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An error in a legal brief could lead to an innocent person’s incarceration.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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The 1991 movie stars Nick Nolte as Sam Bowden, the one-time public defender who Cady haunts, blaming his long prison incarceration for rape on purposefully faulty defense tactics.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Investigators also cited electronic monitoring data showing Pooh Shiesty was at the studio despite being on home confinement for a prior federal firearms conviction.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Shah is now on home confinement, having been released in December 2025 after serving nearly three years in prison.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prison. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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