imprison
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
- imprisonable adjective
- imprisoner noun
- imprisonment noun
- reimprison verb (used with object)
- reimprisonment noun
- unimprisonable adjective
- unimprisoned adjective
Etymology
Origin of imprison
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English enprisonen, from Old French enprisoner, equivalent to en- en- 1 + prison prison + -er infinitive suffix
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.
In America, we don’t imprison people for violating rules that were never written.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026
The NCA operation will aim to imprison more perpetrators of child sexual abuse, protect more victims and improve how local police forces investigate such crimes, the Home Office said.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2025
To be clear, Marchan has already stated that he does not intend to imprison the president-elect.
From Salon • Jan. 7, 2025
In plays such as “The Whale,” “Pocatello” and “A Permanent Image,” he closely examines the sociological landscape, the way economics and culture constrict and magnify, imprison and potentially liberate this thing we call the self.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2024
“Pili, in your letter, you said you were with Leanna North. The real Ella St. Clay. Where is she? Where did the Shadow Queen imprison her?”
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
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.
