imprison

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

Synonyms of imprison

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Examples of imprison in a Sentence

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.
The politically outspoken Panahi has been repeatedly imprisoned and put under house arrest by Iranian authorities over the years. — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026 Cromer was imprisoned for committing a physical assault, the New Hampshire Department of Corrections said. — Anna Meiler, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026 Under Hungary’s Communist regime, his father was imprisoned and Medak was barred from attending school. — Anna Tingley, Variety, 28 Oct. 2026 Political opponents have been imprisoned, expelled or stripped of their nationality. — Lynn Northcutt Vega, Sun Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for imprison

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

Rhymes for imprison

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Browse Nearby Words

imprinting
imprison
imprisonable
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Cite this Entry

“Imprison.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imprison. Accessed 30 Oct. 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
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