CONFINED

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does confined mean? 

• CONFINED (adjective)
  The adjective CONFINED has 3 senses:

1. not invading healthy tissue

2. not free to move about

3. being in captivity

  Familiarity information: CONFINED used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CONFINED (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Not invading healthy tissue

Antonym:

invasive (marked by a tendency to spread especially into healthy tissue)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Not free to move about

Similar:

claustrophobic (uncomfortably closed or hemmed in)

close; confining (crowded)

homebound; housebound; shut-in (confined usually by illness)

pent; shut up (closely confined)

snowbound (confined or shut in by heavy snow)

stormbound (delayed or confined or cut off by a storm)

weather-bound (delayed or shut in by bad weather)

Also:

unfree (hampered and not free; not able to act at will)

restricted (subject to restriction or subjected to restriction)

Antonym:

unconfined (not confined)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Being in captivity

Synonyms:

captive; confined; imprisoned; jailed

Similar:

unfree (hampered and not free; not able to act at will)

 Context examples 

I was confined to the house by a severe chill for three days last week.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Widely spread; not localized or confined.

(Diffuse, NCI Dictionary)

Your task is confined to that.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The questionnaire contains 1 question which is scored ranging from 0 (normal) to 6 (confined to wheelchair).

(Disease Steps Questionnaire, NCI Thesaurus)

In similar manner his attempt to study evolution had been confined to a hopelessly technical volume by Romanes.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

An individual who is presently or not long ago worked or offered to assist without pay at an institution where persons are confined for punishment and to protect the public.

(Current or Recent Employee or Volunteer in Jail or Prison, NCI Thesaurus)

Glumdalclitch and I were much fatigued: I had gotten a small cold, but the poor girl was so ill as to be confined to her chamber.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

A response indicating that an individual is confined to bed.

(Confined to Bed, NCI Thesaurus)

An institution where persons are confined for punishment and to protect the public.

(Correctional Institution, NCI Thesaurus)

He evidently fears discovery or interference, in the state of helplessness in which he must be—confined as he is between dawn and sunset in his wooden box.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)