prison
1 of 2noun
pris·on ˈpri-zᵊn 
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
prison
2 of 2verb
prisoned; prisoning; prisons
transitive verb
: imprison, confine
Synonyms
Noun
- bastille
- big house [slang]
- bridewell
- brig
- calaboose
- can
- clink [slang]
- cooler
- coop
- guardroom
- hock
- hold
- hoosegow
- jail
- jailhouse
- joint [slang]
- jug
- lockup
- nick [British slang]
- pen
- penitentiary
- pokey [slang]
- quod [British slang]
- slam
- slammer
- stir [slang]
- stockade
- tolbooth [Scottish]
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrew Mark Miller, Fox News, 16 Feb. 2023 Scott Lang is a thief who just gets out of prison and is stealing yet again to survive. —Kori Williams, Seventeen, 16 Feb. 2023 In this continuation of the popular British TV show, a brilliant but disgraced detective (Idris Elba) breaks out of prison to hunt down a serial killer who is terrorizing London. —Dallas News, 16 Feb. 2023 Adonis wants to be available to Damian, who is fresh out of prison, wants to offer him a hand. —Carvell Wallace, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2023 There's already an enhancement of five to 20 years for gang convictions in Georgia, but judges can give probation instead of prison. —Jeff Amy, ajc, 13 Feb. 2023 Flynn, who pulled the trigger, has been out of prison for nearly a decade. —Miles Cohen, ABC News, 13 Feb. 2023 The Portland man had been out of prison less than two months, a prosecutor said. —oregonlive, 9 Feb. 2023 Haunted by his failure to capture the cyber psychopath who now taunts him, Elba's ex-policeman decides to break out of prison to finish the job by any means necessary. —Clark Collis, EW.com, 9 Feb. 2023 Carol Robinson | Crobinson@al.com, al, 27 Mar. 2020 See More
Noun
An inmate in Bolivia is back behind bars after an unsuccessful attempt to break out of prison disguised as a sheep. —Andrew Mark Miller, Fox News, 16 Feb. 2023 Scott Lang is a thief who just gets out of prison and is stealing yet again to survive. —Kori Williams, Seventeen, 16 Feb. 2023 In this continuation of the popular British TV show, a brilliant but disgraced detective (Idris Elba) breaks out of prison to hunt down a serial killer who is terrorizing London. —Dallas News, 16 Feb. 2023 Adonis wants to be available to Damian, who is fresh out of prison, wants to offer him a hand. —Carvell Wallace, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2023 There's already an enhancement of five to 20 years for gang convictions in Georgia, but judges can give probation instead of prison. —Jeff Amy, ajc, 13 Feb. 2023 Flynn, who pulled the trigger, has been out of prison for nearly a decade. —Miles Cohen, ABC News, 13 Feb. 2023 The Portland man had been out of prison less than two months, a prosecutor said. —oregonlive, 9 Feb. 2023 Haunted by his failure to capture the cyber psychopath who now taunts him, Elba's ex-policeman decides to break out of prison to finish the job by any means necessary. —Clark Collis, EW.com, 9 Feb. 2023 Verb
Nationwide, there is concern of devastating repercussions should prison populations suffer an outbreak. —Carol Robinson | Crobinson@al.com, al, 27 Mar. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin prehension-, prehensio act of seizing, from prehendere to seize — more at get
First Known Use
Noun
12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing prison
Kids Definition
prison
noun pris·on
ˈpriz-ᵊn
1
: a state of confinement or captivity
2
: a place where criminals or prisoners are locked up
Legal Definition
prison
noun pris·on
: an institution usually under state control for confinement of persons serving sentences for serious crimes compare house of correction, house of detention, jail, lockup, penitentiary
prison
noun
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
Relevance
- jail
- penitentiary
- brig
- jailhouse
- slammer
- stockade
- bridewell
- lockup
- hoosegow
- bastille
- guardroom
- coop
- calaboose
- pen
- cage
- pokey
- cooler
- big house
- tolbooth
- clink
- dungeon
- hock
- jug
- cell
- can
- joint
- quod
- tank
- nick
- stir
- slam
- ward
- gulag
- guardhouse
- hold
- bull pen
- reformatory
- hole
- stalag
- prison camp
- keep
- labor camp
- oubliette
- glasshouse
- concentration camp
- work camp
- block
- hulk(s)
- reform school
- training school
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- outside
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
- captivity
- internment
- incarceration
- imprisonment
- confinement
- impoundment
- bondage
- servitude
- custody
- immurement
- enslavement
- arrest
- detention
- capture
- restriction
- entrapment
- restraint
- house arrest
- detainment
- detainer
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- liberation
- release
- redemption
- freedom
- emancipation
- liberty
- manumission
- independence