1
as in captivity
the act of confining or the state of being confined the offense is punishable by a fine or imprisonment
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in incarceration
the state of being held in lawful custody the long years of imprisonment had taken their toll on his mind and spirit as well as his body
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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 imprisonment Further out, a cemetery monument stands in honor of the 150 people who died at the camp during their imprisonment. —
Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 21 Apr. 2026 The government did not specify the nature of the alternative measures, a term that in Venezuela’s legal system can include a range of restrictions short of full imprisonment. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026 There are countless cases in which federal courts found harsh and inadequate conditions of imprisonment that violate the Constitution. —Erwin Chemerinsky, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026 Tarrio was notably sentenced to the longest term of imprisonment among all of the nearly 1,600 individuals charged in connection with the attack. —Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026 The two leaders have since reconciled and been on cordial terms, despite Bolsonaro’s imprisonment and allegations of mistreatment. —Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 14 Apr. 2026 Bateman rose to power after the FLDS group fell into chaos following the imprisonment of longtime leader Jeffs, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. —Aya Al-Hakim, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026 Tasha Beamon, 48, was charged with vulnerable adult abuse and unlawful imprisonment. —Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026 The prison prophecy Trust Me's first episode catches up with the Short Creek FLDS offshoot group before Bateman's infiltration, but after Jeff's imprisonment. —Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 2026
Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 21 Apr. 2026 The government did not specify the nature of the alternative measures, a term that in Venezuela’s legal system can include a range of restrictions short of full imprisonment. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026 There are countless cases in which federal courts found harsh and inadequate conditions of imprisonment that violate the Constitution. —Erwin Chemerinsky, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026 Tarrio was notably sentenced to the longest term of imprisonment among all of the nearly 1,600 individuals charged in connection with the attack. —Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026 The two leaders have since reconciled and been on cordial terms, despite Bolsonaro’s imprisonment and allegations of mistreatment. —Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 14 Apr. 2026 Bateman rose to power after the FLDS group fell into chaos following the imprisonment of longtime leader Jeffs, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. —Aya Al-Hakim, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026 Tasha Beamon, 48, was charged with vulnerable adult abuse and unlawful imprisonment. —Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026 The prison prophecy Trust Me's first episode catches up with the Short Creek FLDS offshoot group before Bateman's infiltration, but after Jeff's imprisonment. —Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imprisonment
Noun
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With each step forward in negotiations toward a deal, Braslavski said his condition gradually improved until he was released in October 2025 after 738 days in captivity.— Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
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The exhibition also explores the impacts of captivity, environmental threats facing certain orca populations and the broader relationship between humans and marine ecosystems, according to museum officials.— City News Service, Daily News, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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While the median home price in the Baltimore area is around $360,000, the median asset wealth for a Black family in the city unaffected by incarceration is approximately $2,700.— Izabela Engel, Baltimore Sun, 28 Apr. 2026
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Another challenge came in the form of how to describe three and a half years, beginning in March 1942, that Mirikitani spent at the Tule Lake incarceration camp in Northern California, alongside thousands of other Japanese American citizens.— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Among the most painful letters are those between Scheidt’s father and his brother, who would also spend time in internment camps.— Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
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The few works in the show depicting Stojka’s experiences before and after internment capture the particularity of Romani life.— Ben Davis, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The ruling questions the disparity between immigration laws that call for the detention of migrants with consistent actions of Congress in funding detention space for just a fraction of those who might be held during deportation proceedings.— Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 28 Apr. 2026
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Burke has repeatedly remarked that her office asks for detention if prosecutors believe someone is a danger to public safety.— Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Four others indicted in the case were given sentences of as much as six years in prison, with one woman getting a 10-month sentence, suspended for three years.— Debby Wu, Bloomberg, 27 Apr. 2026
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As part of Lololee’s deal, federal prosecutors agreed to recommend a prison term at the low end of the sentencing range, according to the court filing.— Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Suhail pleaded not guilty on Wednesday and was released on $5 million bond, ordered to remain on home confinement.— Todd Feurer, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
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Colette, Mark Twain, and William Wordsworth all wrote habitually from bed, for reasons having to do with infirmity, comfort, and warding off distraction; Frida Kahlo painted self-portraits from bed, including the dreams that transcended her physical confinement.— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imprisonment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/imprisonment. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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