Phrase guide

solitary confinement

noun · 2 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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1

noun

Meaning 1

Forced isolation in a small space and the denial of contact with other persons, usually as a form of punishment for a prison inmate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ad-seg

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

confinement of a prisoner in isolation from other prisoners

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he was held in solitary

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: solitary

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: confinement

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

35 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: حَبْس اِنْفِرَادِيّ (ḥabs infirādiyy) — forced isolation
  • Bulgarian: карцер (karcer) — forced isolation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 單獨拘禁 /单独拘禁 (dāndú jūjìn) — forced isolation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 單獨監禁 /单独监禁 (dāndú jiānjìn) — forced isolation
  • Czech: samovazba — forced isolation
  • Dutch: isolatie — forced isolation
  • Dutch: isolement — forced isolation
  • Dutch: eenzame opsluiting — forced isolation
  • Finnish: eristäminen — forced isolation
  • French: mitard — forced isolation
  • French: isolement carcéral — forced isolation
  • German: Isolationshaft — forced isolation
  • German: Einzelhaft — forced isolation
  • Greek: απομόνωση (apomónosi) — forced isolation
  • Hindi: एकांत कारावास (ekānt kārāvās) — forced isolation
  • Irish: braighdeanas aonair — forced isolation
  • Italian: isolamento — forced isolation
  • Italian: cella di isolamento — forced isolation
  • Italian: segregazione — forced isolation
  • Italian: confino — forced isolation
  • Japanese: 独房監禁 (dokubō kankin) — forced isolation
  • Korean: 독방 감금 (dokbang gamgeum) — forced isolation
  • Macedonian: самица (samica) — forced isolation
  • Māori: here taratahi — forced isolation
  • Persian: انفرادی (enferâdi) — forced isolation
  • Persian: سلول انفرادی (sellul-e enferâdi) — forced isolation
  • Polish: karcer — forced isolation
  • Portuguese: prisão em solitária — forced isolation
  • Romanian: încarcerare solitară — forced isolation
  • Russian: одиночное заключение (odinočnoje zaključenije) — forced isolation
  • Spanish: régimen de aislamiento — forced isolation
  • Spanish: incomunicación — forced isolation
  • Spanish: reclusión solitaria — forced isolation
  • Turkish: hücre hapsi — forced isolation
  • Vietnamese: biệt giam — forced isolation