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
Synonyms
Noun
Examples of prison in a Sentence
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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Michaela Zee, Variety, 27 Apr. 2024
Under a state law that says the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction can extend someone's sentence based on conduct while in prison, the pair could serve up to 16½ years.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 27 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prison 
Noun
The former movie mogul will remain imprisoned as he was also convicted of rape in Los Angeles in 2022 and sentenced to an additional 16 years in prison.
—Michaela Zee, Variety, 27 Apr. 2024
Under a state law that says the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction can extend someone's sentence based on conduct while in prison, the pair could serve up to 16½ years.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 27 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prison
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prison.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near prison
Cite this Entry
“Prison.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prison. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share