confinement

American  

[kuhn-fahyn-muhnt] / kənˈfaɪn mənt /

noun

1. the act of confining.

2. the state of being confined. confined.

3. the lying-in of a woman in childbed; accouchement; childbirth.

4. Military. incarceration in a guardhouse or prison while awaiting trial or as a punishment (arrest ).

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confinement British  

/ kənˈfaɪnmənt /

noun

1. the act of confining or the state of being confined

2. the period from the onset of labour to the birth of a child

3. physics another name for containment

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Other Word Forms

• nonconfinement noun
• postconfinement noun
• preconfinement noun
• self-confinement noun
• semiconfinement noun

Etymology

Origin of confinement

1640–50; confine + -ment; compare French confinement

Example Sentences

The footage, the lawsuit said, spans eight continuous hours, documenting Timberlake’s initial stop, the officer’s questioning, sobriety tests, the singer’s arrest and hours of his confinement over several hours.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

Tennyson’s father and two of his siblings had periods of confinement in medical clinics.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

A BOP spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the bureau does not discuss conditions of confinement or security procedures and that employee standards of conduct prohibit staff from giving any prisoners preferential treatment.

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

Yoon has been held in solitary confinement while fighting multiple criminal trials.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

To my surprise, no one yelled at me, but I did pull a few stitches, blow up my blood pressure, and get a couple more days in the hospital under strict confinement to my room.

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia

Related Words

• custody
• detention
• incarceration
• internment
• jail
• repression