noun
confinement
kun-FYNE-munt/kənˈfaɪnmənt/
The state of being kept within a place or enclosed space.
The locked, barred enclosure keeps the older man in confinement.
Etymology
Confiner connects bordering with enclosing: a boundary becomes something that keeps a person or thing inside. Confinement names the resulting state of restraint, whether within limits or physically locked away.
In context
our family members, who are experiencing the very real reality of isolation in solitary confinement, who are currently incarcerated
More examples
- The prisoner spends most of his sentence in solitary confinement.
- During quarantine, she struggles with confinement to her apartment.
- After days of confinement indoors, the children crave fresh air.
Forms
Similar words
- imprisonment
- Specifically means being held in prison, usually as punishment.
- captivity
- Emphasizes being held under another's control and unable to escape.
- detention
- Usually means temporary confinement by authorities rather than general restriction.