chain gang

American

noun

a group of convicts chained together, especially when working outside.

chain gang British

noun

a group of convicted prisoners chained together, usually while doing hard labour

"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

Etymology

Origin of chain gang

First recorded in 1825–35

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.

King was arrested in Atlanta and sentenced to four months on a chain gang.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 31, 2026

The league likes the drama of a chain gang stretching to measure for that first down.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 23, 2023

Rustin helped organize the first freedom rides and once spent 22 days on a North Carolina chain gang after being arrested on one ride.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 12, 2023

The next year, he joined fellow organizers in protesting segregation in Rock Hill, S.C., where he was arrested and refused bail, serving 30 days of hard labor on a chain gang.

From Washington Post • Oct. 13, 2022

‘Wake up and go down yourself. Call the cop and let him get soused on the chain gang with cornbread and peas. Go to it, Misses Brannon.’

From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023