Synonyms for

Prisons

Verb / ˈprɪzʌnz / Another word for prisons — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

Prisons are buildings where people who are convicted of crimes are kept as punishment.

Synonyms & similar words

prisonhouse prison jails penitentiaries lockups slammers hoosegows brigs clinks reformatories guardhouses calabooses stir cages

Synonyms by register

Formal

correctional facilities penitentiaries detention centers custodial institutions

Informal

jail the slammer the clink the pen

Literary

dungeons gaols the oubliette

Antonyms

freedom liberty release exemption amnesty emancipation

Common collocations

  • prison sentence
  • prison break
  • prison population
  • prison reform
  • prison system
  • prison guard
  • prison inmate

Word family

noun prison
verb imprison
adjective prisonable

Usage note

While 'prison' and 'jail' are often used interchangeably, 'prison' typically refers to facilities for longer sentences, whereas 'jail' is for shorter terms or pre-trial detention. 'Gaol' is an archaic spelling of jail.

Example sentences

  1. The thief was caught and sent to prisons.
  2. The prisons are overcrowded due to the high crime rate.
  3. She works as a guard in the local prisons.
  4. The prisons aim to rehabilitate inmates to prevent them from committing crimes again.
  5. The prisons are not known for their comfortable living conditions.

Quotes

  • Prisons are built with stones of law, brothels with bricks of religion. - William Blake
  • I have visited some of the best prisons and some of the worst neighborhoods in America, and I can tell you which is which! - Malcolm X
  • I was born in a cell at the women's prisons in Parchman. - B.B. King

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