: any of a group occupying a single place of residence
especially
: a person confined (as in a prison or hospital)
Examples of inmate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Those agreements generally mean that if ICE flags a certain inmate in their jail, the jail will hold the inmate for up to 48 hours to give ICE agents time to pick them up.
—
Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
Tito Martínez, one of the inmates, recalled that a prison nurse was watching.
—Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 24 July 2025
An internal investigation found officers violated protocol by not properly checking on inmates, though LMDC officials also blamed other inmates for delaying notification.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 July 2025
He was no longer listed as an inmate on the county's jail roster one day later.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for inmate
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Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
Tito Martínez, one of the inmates, recalled that a prison nurse was watching.
—Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 24 July 2025
An internal investigation found officers violated protocol by not properly checking on inmates, though LMDC officials also blamed other inmates for delaying notification.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 July 2025
He was no longer listed as an inmate on the county's jail roster one day later.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for inmate
Cite this Entry
“Inmate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inmate. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inmate
noun
in·mate
ˈin-ˌmāt 
: a member of a group living in a single residence
especially
: a person kept in an institution (as a hospital or prison)
Medical Definition
inmate
noun
in·mate
ˈin-ˌmāt
: one of a group occupying a single place of residence
especially
: a person confined (as in a psychiatric hospital) especially for a long time
Legal Definition
inmate
noun
in·mate
ˈin-ˌmāt
: a person confined in an institution (as a prison or hospital)
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