Words / B2

im-PRIZN/ɪmˈprɪzn/

To imprison is to put someone in prison: imprison offenders; imprisoned without trial. Jail (verb) is more informal; detain can be shorter and not always a prison. The court may imprison offenders. Sensitive legal register. Do not use it for a weekend detention.

Meaning

To put someone in prison.

Examples

• “The court may imprison offenders who leak unmarked scripts, counsel warned.”
• “Campaigners said the journalist should not be imprisoned, which is the rights sense.”

Good to know

imprison someone for / without trial. Informal: jail. Noun: imprisonment. Courts and human-rights news. Not school detention.

Near in meaning

jail

New