internment

noun

in-ˈtərn-mənt How to pronounce internment (audio)
Definition of internmentnext
as in captivity
the act of confining or the state of being confined the internment of Americans of Japanese descent during World War II is one of the more shameful chapters in United States history

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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 internment Aliens land in Johannesburg in 1982 seeking refuge, but instead they're crammed into an internment camp called District 9. — Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026 Some members of their extended family served in the military during World War II; others were sent to internment camps. — Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026 The facility is the country's largest detention center, which sits on land formerly used for Japanese-American internment camps during World War II. — Catherine Bouvet, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026 While the boys were raised in Hiroshima, their parents and new baby brother were sent to an internment camp in Poston, Arizona, as the fighting continued. — Rina Nakano, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for internment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for internment
  1. captivity
  2. incarceration
  3. imprisonment
  4. confinement
  5. prison
Noun
  • In 1987, biologists captured the last free-flying condor to transfer it to captivity, and the largest flying North American bird species was officially declared extinct in the wild.
    — David Ginsburg, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026
  • But their local expertise, connections, courage, and instincts could stave off death or captivity.
    — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of captivity
Noun
  • During her incarceration, Runa stopped eating and after her release, she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
    — Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Some of those lawmakers also want structural shifts in the country’s penal system, drawing inspiration from the mass-incarceration model of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, if Bolsonaro wins and wants to spend funds toward that end.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of incarceration
Noun
  • Douglas detailed his volatile relationship with his late father, Kirk Douglas, his son Cameron’s addiction and imprisonment, and the Stage 4 cancer diagnosis that forced him to confront his own mortality.
    — Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • For decades, Florida lawmakers have demanded investigations, indictments and imprisonment for the Cuban leadership involved.
    — Liv Caputo Herald, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of imprisonment
Noun
  • Think super-powerful magnets in medical imaging and particle physics experiments; faster circuits that won’t overheat; potential for nuclear fusion plasma confinement.
    — Sven Badoux, New Atlas, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Even with execution dates looming, their death row confinement offers a relatively peaceful oasis.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of confinement
Noun
  • She was sentenced to just over 11 years in prison, and she and her former boyfriend and business partner Sunny Balwani were ordered to pay $452 million in restitution.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Miranda Orozco, 50, was sentenced to 30 years in prison after admitting to arranging travel and accommodations for two people who died and another who was seriously injured.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of prison

Browse Nearby Words

internists
internment
internments
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Cite this Entry

“Internment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/internment. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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