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Definitions

jail

[jeyl] / dʒeɪl /
NOUN
place for incarceration
Synonyms
STRONGEST
cell lockup penitentiary prison
STRONG
bastille brig bullpen can clink cooler dungeon inside jailhouse joint pen pound rack reformatory slammer solitary stir stockade
WEAK
black hole detention camp house of correction penal institution up the river
VERB
incarcerate
Synonyms
STRONGEST
confine detain hold imprison lock up sentence take away
STRONG
bastille book cage can constrain immure impound prison railroad
WEAK
put away put behind bars put on ice send up throw away the keys throw in dungeon throw the book at
Antonyms
STRONGEST
free let go liberate release

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.

While companies can manipulate you, they cannot put you in jail.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2026

Damian Denzell Robinson, 29, was booked into custody Thursday morning with the Los Angeles Police Department in Van Nuys, jail records show.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

Under South Korean law, those convicted of making 5bn won or more in illicit proceeds face between five years in jail and a life sentence.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

This month, Zuckerman, Tamrazian and Muradkhanyan pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud in a plea bargain with prosecutors and were sentenced to 180 days in jail and supervised probation, according to court records.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

Mrs. Maroney was to trust the book peddler and trust her husband, but she already knew that both men had seen the insides of jail cells.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan