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jail

jail

418 1.0
A building where people are kept as punishment or while waiting for their trial
  • noun
  • /dʒeɪl/
: cárcel
  • The suspect was taken to jail after his arrest.
  • go to jail
  • jail time
  • put in jail

As you know, my dad is in jail for child sex crimes.

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Examples

  • We'll spend the night in jail if they catch us now.

  • But anyone who has spent time in a jail or prison knows this.

  • So yeah, he went to jail, but not for long.

  • I would not last in jail or prison or hell.

  • How are you gonna feel if you end up back in jail?

  • On any given day, one in 10 was either in jail or juvenile detention.

    Academic text (2012)
  • He just got out of jail like this month.

  • I just got out of jail because I was arrested for piracy.

  • You are sentenced to one year in county jail and $300,000 in restitution.

  • Spending time in jail changed her perspective on life.

Synonyms

prison
vsjail
∞ 1.0

A building where people are kept as punishment or while waiting for trial

is a similar institution but often implies shorter or local custody
gaol
vsjail
  • Archaic
∞ 8.9

A building that holds people as punishment for a crime

is the common nonregional spelling for that same place
cell
vsjail
618 5.6

A small room in a prison or police station where a prisoner is held

is the overall term for the building that contains such rooms
state prison
vsjail
  • US
51 4.3

A prison run by a state government for people found guilty of serious crimes

is a general term that covers local and state custody places
jail cell
vsjail
47 1.5

A small room in a prison where guards keep prisoners

names the whole building rather than this single internal room
detention centre
vsjail
  • UK
42 4.6

A place where people are kept for a short time, like prisoners or migrants, while their case is decided

is the general term focused on criminal punishment or awaiting trial
holding cell
vsjail
39 4.1

A secure room in a police station where people wait briefly before going to court

is the overall name for a building used to hold people
lockup
vsjail
38 5.5

A small room in a police station where police keep people temporarily

is the broader name for buildings used for punishment or waiting trial
jailhouse
vsjail
37 4.1

A building where police keep people who are waiting for trial or serving a sentence

is the general name for that same kind of building
prison cell
vsjail
34 2.7

A small locked room in jail for holding a person

refers to the whole facility rather than this individual enclosed room
correctional facility
vsjail
  • Formal
30 4.2

A building like a prison where people are kept as punishment and given training

focuses on holding people as punishment or while awaiting trial
slammer
vsjail
  • Slang
29 9.8

A prison or jail where people are kept after arrest

is the neutral term used for the same act of confinement
clink
vsjail
  • Informal
8 8.6

A prison or jail where people are kept by the police

is the standard term used without informal tone
correctional institution
vsjail
  • Formal
6 4.9

A place where people who broke the law are kept as punishment or while they wait for trial

is a broader everyday term for holding people in custody
pokey
vsjail
  • Slang
6 9.9

A small jail where people wait for trial or serve short sentences

is the neutral term used for such local detention buildings
3 4.4

A large room in a jail or police station where officers keep several people for a short time

is the general building term rather than a shared holding area
prison house
vsjail
2 4.6

A building where people are held as punishment or while waiting for trial

is the general term for the same building without that formal label
penitentiary
vsjail
  • US
1 8.2

About the punishment or reform of people in prison

is the plain name for a place used for punishment or custody
penal institution
vsjail
  • Formal
1 6.3

A place like a prison where people are kept as punishment for crimes

is the same kind of place but with less emphasis on protection
poky
vsjail
  • Slang
1 9.9

A small, dirty local jail

is the general neutral name without negative tone
penal facility
vsjail
  • Formal
1 6.0

A building that holds people as punishment for crimes to protect the public

is the same type of place but without institutional wording

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

The right to act, speak, or think as you want without being stopped

Compounds

47 1.5

A small room in a prison where guards keep prisoners

15 5.6

A chance to avoid punishment or trouble

1 9.9

People use force to free prisoners from jail

9.9

A joking name for a mental health hospital ward where people wear non-slip socks

horny jail
  • NSFW
9.9

A playful joke punishment for someone who acts flirty online

How Secure

supermax
  • Specialized
4 7.9
prison
∞ 1.0
jail
418 1.0
lockup
38 5.5
holding cell
39 4.1

Surface Forms

jail singular
jails plural

Etymology

Jail comes from an old French word jaiole that meant 'cage', so a jail is like a cage that holds people as a punishment or while they wait for trial.