Phrase guide

life imprisonment

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The state of being imprisoned for the rest of one's life.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A sentence of imprisonment of thirty years.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Malaysia, uncountable, usually

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a sentence of imprisonment until death

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: captivity, imprisonment, incarceration, immurement

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: سَجْن مُؤَبَّد (sajn muʔabbad) — state of being imprisoned
  • Chinese Mandarin: 終身監禁 /终身监禁 (zhōngshēn jiānjìn) — state of being imprisoned
  • Chinese Mandarin: 無期徒刑 /无期徒刑 (wúqī túxíng, wúqí túxíng) — state of being imprisoned
  • Dutch: levenslang — state of being imprisoned
  • Dutch: levenslange gevangenisstraf — state of being imprisoned
  • Finnish: elinkautinen vankeus — state of being imprisoned
  • Finnish: elinkautinen — state of being imprisoned
  • Hindi: आजीवन कारावास (ājīvan kārāvās) — state of being imprisoned
  • Japanese: 終身刑 (shūshinkei) — state of being imprisoned
  • Japanese: 無期懲役 (muki chōeki) — state of being imprisoned
  • Korean: 종신형 (jongsinhyeong) — state of being imprisoned
  • Korean: 무기징역 (mugijing'yeok) — state of being imprisoned
  • Tagalog: habang-buhay na pagkabilanggo — state of being imprisoned
  • Tagalog: habang-buhaybna pagkakulong — state of being imprisoned
  • Tagalog: kadena-perpetwa — state of being imprisoned
  • Vietnamese: án tù chung thân — state of being imprisoned