imprison

1 of 2

verb

im·​pris·​on im-ˈpri-zᵊn How to pronounce imprison (audio)
imprisoned; imprisoning; imprisons
Synonyms of imprisonnext

transitive verb

: to put in or as if in prison : confine
imprisonment
im-ˈpri-zᵊn-mənt How to pronounce imprison (audio)
noun

imprisonment

2 of 2

noun

im·​pris·​on·​ment -zᵊnmənt How to pronounce imprisonment (audio)
plural -s
1
: the act of imprisoning or the state of being imprisoned : confinement, restraint
2
: constraint of a person either by force or by such other coercion as restrains him within limits against his will

Synonyms of imprison

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Verb

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Examples of imprison in a Sentence

Verb He was imprisoned for murder. He has threatened to imprison his political opponents.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
She was imprisoned for four months in different facilities, where she was deprived of her medications, forced to stay awake, and convicted of falsified charges, according to the lawsuit. — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026 The gang still exists, but most of Romo’s followers are dead, imprisoned or hiding after becoming government witnesses. — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Daniels and Farinha have also both confronted their share of skeptics about the odds of turning around those who have been imprisoned as well as those heading in that direction. — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 23 Aug. 2026 Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, an up-and-coming FBI agent who reluctantly consults imprisoned murderer Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to track down a dangerous serial killer. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for imprison

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French emprisoner, from en- + prison prison

Noun

Middle English enprisonment, inprisonment, from Middle French emprisonnement, from Old French, from emprisoner + -ment

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of imprison was in the 14th century

Rhymes for imprison

See All Rhymes for imprison

Browse Nearby Words

imprinting
imprison
imprisonable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imprison.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imprison. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

imprison

verb
im·​pris·​on im-ˈpriz-ᵊn How to pronounce imprison (audio)
imprisoned; imprisoning
-ˈpriz-(ə-)niŋ
: to put in or as if in prison
imprisonment
-ˈpriz-ən-mənt How to pronounce imprison (audio)
noun

Legal Definition

imprison

transitive verb
im·​pris·​on
: to confine in prison especially as punishment for a crime compare false imprisonment
imprisonment noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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