Imprisoned

To be imprisoned is to be confined or held in a jail, prison, or other place of confinement. It implies the loss of freedom and the curtailment of one's liberty, typically as a consequence of legal punishment, though it can also refer to being trapped or restricted by something intangible like emotion or situation. The duration can range from a short period to a lifetime sentence, and the experience often involves isolation, limited access to the outside world, and strict adherence to rules and regulations. Imprisonment serves various purposes, including punishment, deterrence, rehabilitation, and public safety. It can be applied to individuals, groups, or even metaphorical situations. Imprisonment also often refers to the legal ramifications for the defendant, their families and those around them.

Imprisoned meaning with examples

• After a lengthy trial, the defendant was found guilty and imprisoned for ten years. The harsh sentence left the courtroom in stunned silence as the man's freedom was immediately stripped away, and his life took a drastic turn. The impact of his imprisonment was felt not only by him but also by his loved ones, who grappled with the absence of his presence in their lives.
• The artist felt creatively imprisoned by the expectations of her audience. She struggled to break free from their ideas, and her paintings had become formulaic, lacking her artistic voice. It created an atmosphere of self-doubt and anxiety, suffocating her potential to express her ideas. She would later begin to explore themes away from her current expectations.
• During the war, many civilians were imprisoned in concentration camps, enduring unimaginable hardship and suffering. The cramped, unsanitary conditions, coupled with insufficient food and medical care, took a drastic toll on them, turning them into something of a shell of their former selves. The experience, though brutal and traumatic, has strengthened their resolve to persevere, and to prevent such atrocities from happening again.
• The bear was imprisoned in a steel trap, whimpering and trying to break free. It was a terrible scene, a symbol of its vulnerability. Animal control was called immediately to come and free the animal, and once released, the bear was allowed to return back into the wild. It was one of many encounters the forest rangers had, and they were happy the bear could return to its natural habitat.