state prison

American

noun

a prison maintained by a state for the confinement of felons.

State prison British

noun

(in the US) a prison where persons convicted of serious crimes are confined

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of state prison

First recorded in 1715–25

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.

But given his scheduled release from state prison, prosecutors decided to file new charges against him.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

He was last released from state prison in 2023, according to a spokesperson for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026

It’s a reasonable request, and the border czar credited the state prison system for honoring ICE detainers, as Gov. Tim Walz wrote Tuesday in these pages that Minnesota does.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

“Concrete Mama,” which started in a Washington state prison early last year, calls itself “more than a podcast — it’s a movement.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2026

It's a long bus ride to the state prison.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023