Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

jailer

American  
[jey-ler] / ˈdʒeɪ lər /
Or jailor

noun

  1. a person who is in charge of a jail or section of a jail.

  2. a person who forcibly confines another.


jailer British  
/ ˈdʒeɪlə /

noun

  1. a person in charge of prisoners in a jail

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of jailer

1250–1300; Middle English gaioler, jaioler, jailer < Old French jaiolier. See jail, -er 2

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.

See Examples For:

Dammeier began in law enforcement, working for a decade as a dispatcher, jailer and police officer.

From Los Angeles Times May 1, 2026

There are more than 120 journalists detained in China, according to RSF, which calls the country "the world's biggest jailer of journalists".

From BBC Feb. 3, 2026

That alone should mean that shipping people there runs afoul of domestic laws and potentially the Eighth Amendment, if indeed the U.S. can be legally considered the jailer.

From Slate Apr. 8, 2025

One is that most sheriffs worked in their office before the became sheriffs, as a deputy or a jailer or a staff member.

From Salon Sep. 15, 2024

Holly didn’t respond, didn’t even look her jailer in the eye.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training