Synonyms for

Prisoner

Verb / ˈprɪzʌnɜ: / / ˈprɪznɜ: / Another word for prisoner — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

A person who is kept in prison as a punishment for a crime or while awaiting trial.

Synonyms & similar words

captive convict inmate detainee captured captive detained immured incarcerated jailed prisoned confined gaoled restrained trapped clink lag yardbird jailbird penalized

Synonyms by register

Formal

detainee inmate convict captive

Informal

jailbird lag con

Literary

bondservant thrall

Antonyms

freeman liberty captor jailer guard warden

Common collocations

  • political prisoner
  • prisoner of war
  • escape from prison
  • prisoner transport
  • hostage prisoner
  • former prisoner
  • prisoner release

Word family

noun prisoner
verb imprison
adjective imprisoned

Usage note

While 'prisoner' can refer to anyone held against their will, it often implies a legal or military context. 'Inmate' is more specific to correctional facilities.

Example sentences

  1. The police caught the prisoner who had escaped from jail.
  2. The prisoner pleaded guilty to the crime.
  3. The prisoner was sentenced to ten years in prison.
  4. The guards watched the prisoners closely.
  5. The prisoner was allowed to make a phone call.

Quotes

  • In prison, those things withheld from and denied to the prisoner become precisely what he wants most of all. ~ Eldridge Cleaver
  • It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones. ~ Nelson Mandela
  • The true measure of a society is how it treats its prisoners. ~ Nelson Mandela

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