adj
Common
confined
kuhn-FYND
Confined (adj) means Kept within a small or restricted space; not free to move around. Example: “The patient was confined to bed for a week after the operation.”
adj
1
Kept within a small or restricted space; not free to move around.
"The patient was confined to bed for a week after the operation."
"He felt confined in the tiny apartment."
"The animals were confined to a small enclosure."
"Mia was confined to her bedroom after suffering a broken leg."
How to use confined
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishShut in or restricted, with little room to move or expand.
Common pairings
confined space
confined to a wheelchair
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more confined
- Superlative
- most confined
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The patient was _____ to bed for a week after the operation.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
unconfined
invasive
Related words
Rhymes for confined
See all rhymes for confined →Frequently asked questions
What does “confined” mean?
The word “confined” means kept within a small or restricted space; not free to move around. In plain terms, shut in or restricted, with little room to move or expand.
How do you pronounce “confined”?
“Confined” is pronounced kuhn-FYND (/kənˈfaɪnd/ in IPA).
How do you use “confined” in a sentence?
Here is “confined” used in a sentence: “He felt confined in the tiny apartment.”
What part of speech is “confined”?
“Confined” is an adjective.
Is “confined” a common word?
“Confined” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between confined and confided?
Confined means kept within a small or restricted space and shares no root with confided, which means told a secret to someone in trust. The two words are often confused because they look and sound alike, but confined relates to physical or spatial restriction while confided relates to disclosure of information.
What is the difference between confined and confined to?
Confined on its own describes something restricted in a general sense, while confined to is followed by a specific place, condition, or scope, as in confined to bed or confined to one topic. The preposition to narrows the restriction to a particular boundary.
Can confined describe a feeling as well as a physical space?
Yes, confined can describe a literal small space such as a confined room, or a figurative sense of feeling restricted or trapped, such as feeling confined by a strict schedule. In both uses it conveys a lack of freedom to move or expand.
