confined
Americanadjective
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limited or restricted.
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unable to leave a place because of illness, imprisonment, etc.
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being in childbirth; being in parturition.
adjective
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enclosed or restricted; limited
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in childbed; undergoing childbirth
Other Word 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
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"Efrén Divided" by Ernesto Cisneros, Chapters 1–5
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CTE Construction ("Core Curriculum: Introductory Craft Skills,") Vocabulary from Module One
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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.
Imagine trying to measure the curvature of Earth while confined to your own neighborhood.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 28, 2026
While Green’s young-adult novels have often explored the teenage experience, he never felt confined by the YA genre.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026
The island is famous for its seaweed-eating sheep, which are mostly confined to the shore by a 13-mile-long drystone wall that encircles the island.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
Keep in mind that this example was confined to investment-grade bonds, which are those rated BBB- or higher by S&P Global, or Baa3 or higher by Moody’s Ratings.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
But 130 patients who were confined to their beds, as well as 98 residents of a nursing home who could not be moved, were left behind without staff to care for them.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
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.
