hoosegow

noun

ˈhüs-ˌgau̇ How to pronounce hoosegow (audio)
Definition of hoosegownext
as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody they ended up in the hoosegow for disorderly conduct

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hoosegow Every day at the high security hoosegow holds the possibility of turmoil and violence. — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2025 Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park Carved from granite cliffs overlooking the Colorado River, Yuma Prison was the Old West’s most notorious hoosegow, garnering a fearsome reputation. — Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 1 Jan. 2025 In prison, there are Keene’s encounters with a real-life mob boss and a manipulative guard to add tension, and just enough mayhem to remind you that this is no ordinary hoosegow. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2022 Most famously, in 1968 Johnny Cash serenaded state inmates at the max-security Folsom Prison in California, later turning the hoosegow act into a live album titled At Folsom Prison. — Keri Blakinger, Houston Chronicle, 15 Nov. 2019 Carved from a granite cliff overlooking the Colorado River, this was America’s most notorious 19th century hoosegow. — Roger Naylor, azcentral, 4 Oct. 2019 And Blankenship has charged that Manchin, who was governor at the time of the mine explosion, conspired with Barack Obama (not a popular figure in West Virginia) to send him to the hoosegow. — Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, 20 Mar. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoosegow
  1. jail
  2. prison
  3. penitentiary
Noun
  • In July, Jacob Bickelhaupt’s lawyers asked that he be released from jail while the case is on an indefinite hold due to Nadia Bickelhaupt’s ongoing medical issues.
    — Zoey Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
  • This is punishable by up to one year in county jail, a fine of up to $10,000 or both.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of jail
Noun
  • Three once high-flying brothers convicted of exploiting their wealth and access to luxury real estate to drug and rape dozens of women were sentenced Tuesday to 30 years in prison.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Prosecutors had asked Caproni to sentence each brother to life in prison, while their attorneys sought the 15-year minimum.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of prison
Noun
  • Beyond the towering brick walls of the Tarrant County Jail, and every other county jail and state penitentiary in the country, lies an out-of-sight-out-of-mind world that most never see, let alone experience.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Mexico has 276 prisons, including 14 federal penitentiaries and 249 state prisons.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of penitentiary

Browse Nearby Words

hooray
hoosegow
hoosegows
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Cite this Entry

“Hoosegow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoosegow. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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