inmate

noun

in·​mate ˈin-ˌmāt How to pronounce inmate (audio)
: any of a group occupying a single place of residence
especially : a person confined (as in a prison or hospital)

Examples of inmate in a Sentence

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.
Two of the inmates who received commutations, Shannon Agofsky and Len Davis, filed petitions to reject the clemency action earlier this month, arguing that accepting it could hinder their appeals. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025 About 470 inmates were evacuated from one of the three facilities on the campus and moved to another part of the detention center, the sheriff said. Brandon Miller, CNN, 23 Jan. 2025 State prisons, including San Quentin in Marin County where serious felons are housed, are allowed to release inmates to federal officers. Sierra Lopez, The Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2025 Anti-death penalty activists, including a priest who counsels death row inmates, are campaigning for clemency, arguing that the church's stance contradicts Christian teachings. James Powel, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for inmate 

Word History

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inmate was in 1609

Dictionary Entries Near inmate

Cite this Entry

“Inmate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inmate. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

inmate

noun
in·​mate ˈin-ˌmāt How to pronounce inmate (audio)
: a member of a group living in a single residence
especially : a person kept in an institution (as a hospital or prison)

Medical Definition

inmate

noun
in·​mate ˈin-ˌmāt How to pronounce inmate (audio)
: one of a group occupying a single place of residence
especially : a person confined (as in a psychiatric hospital) especially for a long time

Legal Definition

inmate

noun
in·​mate ˈin-ˌmāt How to pronounce inmate (audio)
: a person confined in an institution (as a prison or hospital)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!