countable/uncountable an institution where people are kept as punishment for committing a crime. The people who stay in prison are called prisoners
in prison:
He’s currently in prison for taxfraud.
go to prison:
You can go to prison for that, you know.
send someone to prison:
He was sent to prison for armedrobbery.
Synonyms and related words
Types of prison or detention centre
boot camp
borstal
brig
1a
uncountable the system of keeping people in prisons as a punishment
Synonyms and related words
Punishment in prison
at his/her Majesty’s pleasure
concurrent sentence
confinement
1b
uncountable the experience of being in prison
Has prison changed him?
Synonyms and related words
Punishment in prison
at his/her Majesty’s pleasure
concurrent sentence
confinement
1c
only before nouninvolving prison, or relating to prison
a prison term/sentence (=the period of time someone must stay in prison):
She could face a ten-year prison term.
Synonyms and related words
Punishment in prison
at his/her Majesty’s pleasure
concurrent sentence
confinement
prison
noun
US /ˈprɪz(ə)n/
Other entries for this word
open prisonnoun
prison campnoun
remand prisonnoun
Word Forms
singular
prison
plural
prisons
DEFINITIONS1
1
countable/uncountable an institution where people are kept as punishment for committing a crime. A large prison is called a penitentiary and the people who are kept there are called prisoners
send someone to prison:
He was sent to prison for armedrobbery.
go to prison:
You can go to prison for that, you know.
in prison:
He’s currently in prison for taxfraud.
Synonyms and related words
Types of prison or detention center
boot camp
borstal
brig
1a
uncountable the system of keeping people in prisons as a punishment
Synonyms and related words
Punishment in prison
concurrent sentence
confinement
consecutive sentence
1b
uncountable the experience of being in prison
Has prison changed him?
Synonyms and related words
Punishment in prison
concurrent sentence
confinement
consecutive sentence
1c
only before nouninvolving prison, or relating to prison
a prison term/sentence (=the period of time someone must stay in prison):