confine
Americanverb (used with object)
-
confines,
present (3rd person singular)
-
confined,
past participle, past
-
confining
present participle
-
to enclose within bounds; limit or restrict.
She confined her remarks to errors in the report. Confine your efforts to finishing the book.
- Synonyms:
- circumscribe
- Antonyms:
- free
-
to shut or keep in; prevent from leaving a place because of imprisonment, illness, discipline, etc..
For that offense he was confined to quarters for 30 days.
- Antonyms:
- free
noun
-
Usually confines. a boundary or bound; limit; border; frontier.
-
Often confines. region; territory.
-
Archaic. confinement.
-
Obsolete. a place of confinement; prison.
verb
-
to keep or close within bounds; limit; restrict
-
to keep shut in; restrict the free movement of
arthritis confined him to bed
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
confinernoun
-
preconfineverb (used with object)
-
reconfineverb (used with object)
-
confinableadjective
-
confineableadjective
-
confinelessadjective
-
nonconfiningadjective
-
quasi-confiningadjective
-
self-confiningadjective
-
unconfinableadjective
-
unconfiningadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
confinesimple
-
confinessimple
-
have confinedperfect
-
has confinedperfect
-
am confiningprogressive
-
are confiningprogressive
-
is confiningprogressive
-
have been confiningperfect progressive
-
has been confiningperfect progressive
Past
-
confinedsimple
-
had confinedperfect
-
was confiningprogressive
-
were confiningprogressive
-
had been confiningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of confine
1350–1400 for noun; 1515–25 for v.; (noun) Middle English < Middle French confins, confines < Medieval Latin confinia, plural of Latin confinis boundary, border ( see con-, fine 2); (v.) < Middle French confiner, verbal derivative of confins < Latin, as above
Explanation
Confine is all about setting limits. If you are confined to the house, it means you can't leave it. If you're really sick, you might be confined to your bed. Confine can be used abstractly as well. In writing a term paper, your teacher might tell you to confine your examples to ones that you can support with direct evidence. In the 19th century, pregnancy and childbirth were often referred to as a woman's confinement—a time when she couldn't get up or out.
Vocabulary lists containing confine
100 SAT words Beginning with "C"
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!
Bridge to Terabithia
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!
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
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.
See Examples For:
The only way to maintain a precise technical meaning for this term would be to confine its use to a largely relevant group of insiders.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
Poor Mr. Biswas, a man of meager prospects but irrepressible pride, must suffer through a series of demeaning dwellings to which his in-laws, the emasculating Tulsis, confine him.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
The Dodgers have said closer Edwin Díaz is expected to return from elbow surgery sometime after the All-Star break, which would confine that time frame to two weeks, if that.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2026
"The inspiration came from systems known from atomic physics, where electrons can occupy different energy states. In photonics, a similar role is played by optical traps, which confine light instead of electrons."
From Science Daily ● Apr. 25, 2026
Halleck issued an order: If the assassins are caught, put them in double irons and take them to the commander of the Washington Navy Yard, who will confine them to a monitor warship anchored there.
From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson
“There are very few, if any, apartment buildings or anything along those lines. It’s mostly two- and three-story private houses. It’s small-town USA within the confines of New York City.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
Arthur Fery grew up just a short walk away from Wimbledon but there is much more to his story than simply the confines of SW19.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
The buzz: Mexico has already won the group, securing a round-of-32 game in the friendly confines of Azteca Stadium.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
There are copious cognitive benefits and endless possibilities for where their imaginations can run, unbound by the limiting confines of a tablet.
From Salon ● Jun. 21, 2026
Diego buzzed with energy, like the physical confines of his body couldn’t contain him.
From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson
A scheme that could see serious sexual and violent offenders confined to areas just a few miles wide after leaving prison will be launched in October, Justice Secretary Alex Norris has announced.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
The pressure is no longer confined to U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
When the traditional IRA was created in 1975, lawmakers confined the accounts to middle- and working-class households without access to company pensions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Murrill hasn’t confined her fight against compensation claims to the courts, having used threats to prevent at least one exoneree, Calvin Duncan, from even pursuing a claim.
From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2026
“You’re all confined to your rooms while we get respiratory cultures,” she says, spinning around to face Will.
From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott
She stressed the dangers of confining discussion of eating disorders to weight alone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Hull were given a transfer embargo in the summer, confining them to free transfers and loans.
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
Some fusion systems focus on reaching the highest pressures possible, while others compensate by confining plasma for longer periods.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 20, 2025
Oh, and there’s a giant hole in the ceiling of her apartment, confining her to a hotel room while her landlord drags his feet to get it fixed.
From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2025
No sense in confining yourself to one room when there are all these options, is there?
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
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.
