false imprisonment

noun

: imprisonment of a person contrary to law

Examples of false imprisonment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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He was arrested in August 2022 on a slew of charges that include burglary, assault and false imprisonment, after his ex accused him of breaking into her home, slapping her and pointing a gun at several people. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2025 The 54-year-old was charged with rape, forcible oral copulation, robbery, false imprisonment, and assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury. City News Service, Orange County Register, 20 Feb. 2025 Tyler Richard Lewis, 39, was sentenced through a plea deal that required him to accept convictions for voluntary manslaughter, assault and false imprisonment in exchange for prosecutors dropping a murder charge. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2025 Francis was facing a wave of significant legal pushback to his media venture at the time, including lawsuits in several states accusing the mogul of racketeering, child prostitution, false imprisonment, tax evasion, and more. Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 7 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for false imprisonment

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of false imprisonment was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“False imprisonment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/false%20imprisonment. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Legal Definition

false imprisonment

noun
: the tort of intentionally restraining another by physical force or the threat of physical force without privilege or authority see also false arrest at arrest

More from Merriam-Webster on false imprisonment

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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