house arrest

American  

noun

1. confinement of an arrested person to their residence or to a public place, such as a hospital, instead of in a jail.

   He was under house arrest until the day of his trial.

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house arrest British  

noun

1. confinement to one's own home

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house arrest Cultural  

1. Forcible detention in one's house rather than in a prison. House arrest is used by some nations as a way to silence political dissent without the elaborate trials and criminal proceedings that would bring bad publicity.

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Etymology

Origin of house arrest

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

The “Federal Contraband” hitmaker was still on house arrest in January when the alleged music studio takeover took place.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

According to the parliament's figures, the vast majority of them had not been in prisons but were subject to restrictions such as house arrest or parole.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

Mossadegh soon turned himself in, was convicted of treason, served time in prison, and died under house arrest in 1967.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

Mossadegh soon turned himself in, was convicted of treason, served time in prison, and died under house arrest in 1967.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

Provision was also made for house arrest, the most well-known use of which was imposed on the white political activist Helen Joseph.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela