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imprison
verb
im·pris·on
im-ˈpri-zᵊn
imprisoned; imprisoning; imprisons
: to put in or as if in prison : confine
Synonyms
Examples of imprison in a Sentence
He was imprisoned for murder.
He has threatened to imprison his political opponents.
Recent Examples on the Web
The company’s founder, Max Adler, served as an Air Force bomber in World War II and after being shot down over Hungary was imprisoned by the Nazis.
—Mark Dent, thehustle.co, 6 Dec. 2024
Many are imprisoned in federal, state or local facilities and may enter deportation proceedings after serving their sentences.
—Russell Contreras, Axios, 5 Dec. 2024
China has disclosed that the United States has repatriated four Chinese nationals to Beijing as part of a diplomatic agreement which has also led to the freeing of three Americans who were previously imprisoned in China for years.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
Three American citizens imprisoned for years by China have been released and are returning to the United States, the White House said Wednesday, announcing a rare diplomatic agreement with Beijing in the final months of the Biden administration.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 28 Nov. 2024
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Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French emprisoner, from en- + prison prison
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of imprison was
in the 14th century
Articles Related to imprison
Dictionary Entries Near imprison
Cite this Entry
“Imprison.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imprison. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
imprison
verb
im·pris·on
im-ˈpriz-ᵊn
imprisoned; imprisoning
-ˈpriz-(ə-)niŋ
: to put in or as if in prison
Legal Definition
imprison
transitive verb
im·pris·on
: to confine in prison especially as punishment for a crime compare false imprisonment
imprisonment
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on imprison
Nglish: Translation of imprison for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of imprison for Arabic Speakers
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