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
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
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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.
“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
But until now the Ebola epidemic has been confined to areas within government reach or controlled by a relatively well-organized rebel group called M23.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026
“The joke,” he replied gravely, “seemed confined to you and Mr. Churchill.”
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
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.
