imprisonment
gb/ɪmpɹˈɪzənmənt/ us/ɪmpɹˈɪzənmənt/
B2
English
~ 5900
szabadságvesztés, börtönbüntetés, bebörtönzés, lecsuk, sittre vág, rabság, bezártság
NOUN
B2
1
Usage pattern:
imprisonment for [length of time]
He was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for armed robbery.
Fegyveres rablásért tíz év szabadságvesztésre ítélték.
The law allows for life imprisonment in the most serious cases.
A törvény a legsúlyosabb esetekben lehetővé teszi az életfogytig tartó szabadságvesztést.
After five years of imprisonment, she was finally released on appeal.
The report criticizes the widespread use of imprisonment for minor offenses.
Imprisonment is often seen as a last resort when other punishments have failed.
Learner examples
He is now in imprisonment for five years.
Jelenleg ötéves börtönbüntetését tölti.
Life imprisonment means he will never leave prison.
Az életfogytig tartó szabadságvesztés azt jelenti, hogy soha nem fog kijönni a börtönből.
She fears long imprisonment if she is found guilty.
The judge gave him two years' imprisonment.
Imprisonment is a very serious punishment.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *imprisonment* as a countable noun (e.g., *an imprisonment*), but it is almost always uncountable. Use phrases like *a term of imprisonment* instead. Learners may also confuse *imprisonment* (the state of being in prison) with *prison* (the building).
Meaning
being held in prison
Collocations
life imprisonment
|long-term imprisonment
|term of imprisonment
|imprisonment for life
|imprisonment for ten years
|release from imprisonment
Synonyms
incarceration (Slightly more formal and legal; otherwise very close in meaning.)
|
custody (Can mean being held by authorities without necessarily being in a formal prison or as final punishment.)
Antonyms
freedom (Describes the opposite condition, where a person is not confined or controlled.)
Themes
law
|crime
|punishment
|rights
Definition
The state of being kept in prison by the law as a punishment.
The condition of being legally confined in a prison, usually as a criminal punishment ordered by a court.
NOUN
C1
2
Usage pattern:
the imprisonment of [someone]
The international community condemned the imprisonment of political opponents.
A nemzetközi közösség elítélte a politikai ellenfelek bebörtönzését.
Her wrongful imprisonment led to a major review of the justice system.
Jogtalan bebörtönzése az igazságszolgáltatási rendszer átfogó felülvizsgálatához vezetett.
The law strictly limits the imprisonment of children and young people.
Activists marched in protest against the imprisonment of peaceful demonstrators.
He is seeking compensation for his unlawful imprisonment.
Learner examples
Many people protested the imprisonment of the young student.
Sokan tiltakoztak a fiatal diák bebörtönzése ellen.
The imprisonment of the leader caused anger in the country.
A vezető bebörtönzése felháborodást váltott ki az országban.
They spoke out against the imprisonment of journalists.
He won money after the court decided his imprisonment was wrong.
They criticized the long imprisonment of people for small crimes.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that *imprisonment* can refer both to the ongoing state and to the initial act. When focusing on the act, it is natural to use patterns like *the imprisonment of [someone]* or *wrongful imprisonment*, rather than *be in imprisonment*.
Meaning
act of sending to prison
Collocations
the imprisonment of dissidents
|the imprisonment of journalists
|unlawful imprisonment
|wrongful imprisonment
|indefinite imprisonment
|imprisonment following conviction
Synonyms
jailing (More informal and direct; commonly used in news reporting to describe the act of putting someone in jail.)
Antonyms
release (Refers to allowing someone to leave prison or custody, which is the opposite action of imprisonment.)
Themes
law
|crime
|punishment
|rights
Definition
The action of putting someone in prison as a legal punishment.
The act of confining someone in prison, especially as a punishment decided by a court or authority.
NOUN
C1
3
Usage pattern:
imprisonment in [a situation/place]
For years she felt a quiet imprisonment in her unhappy marriage.
Éveken át csendes rabságnak élte meg boldogtalan házasságát.
The novel explores the emotional imprisonment of its main character.
A regény a főszereplő érzelmi rabságát tárja fel.
Poverty can create a kind of economic imprisonment, limiting every choice you make.
He described his childhood as a form of imprisonment in a strict, controlling household.
The film shows the psychological imprisonment caused by constant surveillance.
Learner examples
She said her life at home felt like imprisonment.
Azt mondta, hogy rabságnak érzi az otthoni életét.
The book tells a story of emotional imprisonment.
A könyv az érzelmi rabság történetét meséli el.
For him, the small village was a kind of imprisonment.
Her illness was a long imprisonment in her room.
He finally escaped the imprisonment of his strict family.
Common mistake:
Learners may think *imprisonment* always involves a real prison building. In literature and everyday speech, it is often used more generally or metaphorically for any very strong limit on freedom.
Meaning
severe restriction on freedom
Collocations
imprisonment in her own home
|social imprisonment
|emotional imprisonment
|psychological imprisonment
|a kind of imprisonment
|imprisonment in a toxic relationship
Synonyms
confinement (Can be physical or mental; often used where there is strong limitation but not always a formal prison.)
Antonyms
liberation (Stresses being set free from a state of control or restriction.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|society
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A situation where someone cannot move or live freely, similar to being in prison, even if there is no real prison.
A condition of being unable to leave or act freely, likened to being in prison, whether or not it involves an actual jail.
Grammar
Dictionary form
imprisonment
IPA
GB/ɪmpɹˈɪzənmənt/
US/ɪmpɹˈɪzənmənt/
Syllables & stress
im - pris - on - ment (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (pris)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: imprisonment
- Plural: imprisonment, imprisonments
Word family
Expressions
false imprisonment
1/fˈɔls ɪmpɹˈɪzənmənt/
fixed phrase
technical
illegally keeping someone confined
The crime or civil wrong of holding someone somewhere against their will without legal reason.
Examples
- She sued the store for false imprisonment after being held in a back room.
- False imprisonment is a serious violation of a person's rights.
- The security guards were charged with false imprisonment.
imprisonment for life
1/ɪmpɹˈɪzənmənt fɚ lˈaɪf/
fixed phrase
formal
being in prison for life
A punishment where a person must stay in prison until they die.
Examples
- The law allows imprisonment for life in exceptional cases.
- He argued that imprisonment for life is more humane than execution.
- The judge ruled that the crime justified imprisonment for life.
imprisonment without parole
1/ɪmpɹˈɪzənmənt wɪðˈaʊt pɚˈoʊl/
fixed phrase
technical
life in prison, no parole
A punishment where a person must stay in prison for life and can never leave early on parole.
Examples
- The judge sentenced him to imprisonment without parole.
- In some states, certain crimes carry mandatory imprisonment without parole.
- Human rights groups argue that imprisonment without parole can be inhumane.
life imprisonment
1/lˈaɪf ɪmpɹˈɪzənmənt/
fixed phrase
prison for the rest of life
A punishment where a person must stay in prison for all of their life.
Examples
- The court sentenced the murderer to life imprisonment.
- In some countries, life imprisonment has replaced the death penalty.
- He faces life imprisonment if found guilty on all charges.
release from imprisonment
1/ɹilˈis fɹˈʌm ɪmpɹˈɪzənmənt/
fixed phrase
letting someone leave prison
The act of letting someone out of prison after they have been kept there.
Examples
- His release from imprisonment was announced on the evening news.
- The new evidence led to her release from imprisonment.
- They celebrated his release from imprisonment with a small party.
sentence of imprisonment
1/sˈɛntəns əv ɪmpɹˈɪzənmənt/
fixed phrase
formal
official order of prison time
The official decision by a court that someone must go to prison as punishment.
Examples
- The court imposed a sentence of imprisonment on the defendant.
- A sentence of imprisonment is rarely used for first-time offenders.
- The maximum sentence of imprisonment for this crime is ten years.
term of imprisonment
1/tˈɚm əv ɪmpɹˈɪzənmənt/
fixed phrase
formal
set length of prison time
The set number of months or years that a person must stay in prison as punishment.
Examples
- The judge imposed a term of imprisonment of five years.
- Her term of imprisonment was reduced on appeal.
- The law sets a maximum term of imprisonment for this offense.
threat of imprisonment
1/θɹˈɛt əv ɪmpɹˈɪzənmənt/
fixed phrase
possibility of prison as pressure
The warning that someone may be sent to prison, used to make them obey a rule or law.
Examples
- The threat of imprisonment is meant to deter people from committing fraud.
- He paid the fine quickly under the threat of imprisonment.
- For some activists, even the threat of imprisonment will not stop their work.