confined
Americanadjective
-
limited or restricted.
-
unable to leave a place because of illness, imprisonment, etc.
-
being in childbirth; being in parturition.
adjective
-
enclosed or restricted; limited
-
in childbed; undergoing childbirth
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of confined
Explanation
The adjective confined describes a space that is cramped or small and constricted. You probably don't see any claustrophobic vampires because if they were claustrophobic, they'd have a fear of confined spaces — like their coffins. The adjective confined describes being in captivity or not free to move about. If you do charity work, you could read books to older people confined to their homes. You could move your confined arms better if you just took off a few layers of clothes; you really don't need three sweaters, a vest, and a coat in 40 degree weather — even if you are from Arizona.
Vocabulary lists containing confined
Our Town
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Efrén Divided" by Ernesto Cisneros, Chapters 1–5
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
CTE Construction ("Core Curriculum: Introductory Craft Skills,") Vocabulary from Module One
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It’s like I’m still confined, I can’t do anything,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
And while there’s nothing wrong with that per se, being so confined to a single location is one of the movie’s most glaring missteps.
From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026
The IOM said armed attacks were no longer confined to regular hotspots and were now increasingly affecting areas that had previously served as places of refuge, leaving vulnerable people with few safe options.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
The world’s only $5 trillion company can sell the concept that AI computing won’t be confined to data centers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
Even if the earthquake had been confined to Magpie Island, it meant that Dad could not drive back to the campground.
From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
