confined
Kept in place
Confined means restricted to a limited space or area.
A confined space is enclosed and cramped—basements, tanks, crawlspaces.
Someone confined to bed or confined to a wheelchair cannot move beyond it.
Prisoners are confined to cells.
The word suggests enclosure that restricts movement: She felt confined in the small apartment.
In older usage, a woman who was confined was in the late stages of pregnancy or childbirth—restricted to home or bed.
Uncomfortably lacking space
- tightFirmly stretched or fitting
- narrowOf small width
- smallLimited in size
- claustrophobicFearing confined spaces
compact · restricted · squeezed · boxed in · hemmed in · walled in · closed in · airless
Held under control
- immobilizedMade unable to move
- boundSecured or destined
- shackledBound with metal restraints
- chainedBound with links
fettered · strapped · tied · pinned · trapped · stuck · bedridden · wheelchair-bound
Limited in scope
- boundedConfined within limits
- circumscribedConfined within bounds
- definedGiven exact meaning
- narrowOf small width
specific · localized · contained · delimited · prescribed · demarcated · set · fixed
cramped
Uncomfortably lacking space
claustrophobic · compact · restricted · squeezed · boxed in · hemmed in · walled in · closed in · airless · stuffy
restrained
Held under control
- immobilizedMade unable to move
- boundSecured or destined
- shackledBound with metal restraints
chained · fettered · strapped · tied · pinned · trapped · stuck · bedridden · wheelchair-bound · housebound
restricted
Limited in scope
- boundedConfined within limits
- circumscribedConfined within bounds
- definedGiven exact meaning
narrow · specific · localized · contained · delimited · prescribed · demarcated · set · fixed · controlled
incarcerated
Confined in prison
- imprisonedHeld in custody
- detainedHeld against one's will
- jailedConfined in prison
interned · held · custody · remand · house arrest · probation · parole · bail · curfew · sentence
cell
Basic unit of life
chamber · vault · enclosure · pen · kennel · coop · stockade · brig · holding cell · padded room
- boundbound, tied, restrained, restricted, constrained
- captivitycaptive, prisoner, detained, imprisoned, incarcerated
- crowdedcrowded, jam-packed, packed like sardines, crammed, jammed
- dungeondungeon, oubliette, cell bars, torture chamber, chains
- spatial termscrowded, empty, spacious, cramped, open
- controlledcontrolled, managed, regulated, restrained, contained
confinedspacious
Having ample room
roomy · unconfined · free · unrestricted · commodious
confinedfree
Without payment or restriction
liberated · released · freed · unrestrained · unrestricted
- solitary confinementIsolated imprisonment in cell
- home confinementForced domestic detention
- confined spaceRestricted enclosed area
- magnetic confinementRestraining plasma via fields
- inertial confinementTrapping via rapid compression
- confined aquiferGroundwater layer between impermeable strata
confine, confinement, confines, confining, unconfined, confinements, confined space, confined spaces