🐦 Animal enclosure 🧠 Restriction 🔒 To confine ⚾ Sports enclosure

cage

230 5.7

A situation that limits a person's freedom or movement

noun
/keɪdʒ/

: jaula

- You put me in a cage for 10 years.
rattle the cage
iron cage

What you have done is put yourself in one gigantic cage with wolves at the door.

Examples

I'm not gonna spend the rest of my life in a cage of fear.

Blades of Glory (2007)
What are you doing outside of your cage?

Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (2002)
Release me from this cage at once!

Smurfs (2025)
I wish for nothing more than to be free of my gilded cage.

EverAfter (1998)
The only flaw in my plan was now I'm locked in a cage with him.

Let's Go to Prison (2006)
Living in a cage of fear prevented him from pursuing his dreams.
Many people feel trapped in a cage of routine and monotony.
She wanted to break free from the cage of societal expectations.

Synonyms

confinement

vscage

89 5.9

A state of being kept in a small closed space and unable to move freely

is the idea of a limiting condition that restricts movement or freedom

prison

vscage

86 5.6

A place or situation that makes someone feel trapped

is the general idea of restriction not limited to institutional buildings

captivity

vscage

80 3.7

A state of being kept somewhere and not allowed to leave

is a broader notion of any situation that limits freedom rather than only being held

solitary confinement

vscage

40 7.0

Guards keep a prisoner alone and away from other prisoners as punishment or for safety

is the general limiting concept that can include but is not only isolation punishment

prison cell

vscage

34 2.7

A small locked room in jail for holding a person

is a wider concept of restriction rather than a specific guarded room

enclosure

vscage

26 3.5

An area surrounded by a fence, wall, or natural feature

is the concept of restriction focused on limiting freedom rather than mere surrounding

gilded cage

vscage

5 8.1

A comfortable but limiting situation that traps someone

is the plain idea of restriction without implying attractiveness

prison house

vscage

Literature

1 7.8

A place that feels like you cannot move or act freely

is the broader notion of restriction, not specifically a physical building

iron cage

vscage

Formal

1 8.6

A situation that traps people and stops them from making free choices

is a limiting situation that can allow some movement or escape possibility

Antonyms

liberation

140 3.9

The act of setting people free from control or unfair treatment

freedom

2 1.1

Not having to do something a rule requires

Idioms

to rattle the cage

Informal

1 7.8

To do or say something on purpose to upset someone and see their reaction

Compounds

rib cage

23 2.8

A set of curved bones that protect the heart and lungs

batting cage

14 2.8

An enclosed area with nets where players practice hitting baseballs

gilded cage

5 8.1

A comfortable but limiting situation that traps someone

squirrel cage

1 5.0

A round wheel that small pets run in to get exercise

iron cage

Formal

1 8.6

A situation that traps people and stops them from making free choices

squirrel cage

Informal

1 9.0

A situation where people keep moving or working but make no real progress

cage of expectations

9.8

A situation where people feel trapped by what others think they should do

cage stage

9.8

A short time of very strong enthusiasm after a big personal change that makes people act overly excited or extreme

mine cage

Specialized

8.0

An enclosed platform that moves people and supplies up and down a mine shaft

squirrel-cage motor

Specialized

7.5

An electric motor with a round metal turning part shaped like a cage

How Restrictive

prison

86 5.6

restriction

312 3.0

cage

230 5.7

limitation

73 3.5

Surface Forms

cage singular

cages plural

Etymology

Cage comes from Latin cavea meaning 'enclosure', so we also use cage for any situation that 'keeps someone inside' or limits their freedom.