: 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
State rules will require all jails to provide inmates with a suite of addiction treatment options by October 2026.
—
Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2025
Biden commuted the sentences of 37 men in late December, leaving three inmates on federal death row at the start of Trump's second term.
—Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2025
Nelson also was accused of using a blanket to strangle a mentally ill inmate on their cellblock at the Tarrant County Jail while awaiting trial.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Feb. 2025
At least 165 women were raped by male inmates after a mass breakout from a prison in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations said, citing officials in the central African nation.
—Astha Rajvanshi, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2025
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Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2025
Biden commuted the sentences of 37 men in late December, leaving three inmates on federal death row at the start of Trump's second term.
—Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2025
Nelson also was accused of using a blanket to strangle a mentally ill inmate on their cellblock at the Tarrant County Jail while awaiting trial.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Feb. 2025
At least 165 women were raped by male inmates after a mass breakout from a prison in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations said, citing officials in the central African nation.
—Astha Rajvanshi, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for inmate
Dictionary Entries Near inmate
Cite this Entry
“Inmate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inmate. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inmate
noun
in·mate
ˈin-ˌmāt 
: 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
: 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
: a person confined in an institution (as a prison or hospital)
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