Prisoner Meaning

UK /ˈprɪzənə/
US /ˈprɪzənɚ/
Word Definition
prisoner meaning

Prisoner Definition & Usage

noun

A person who is being held in a prison, jail, or other place of confinement, typically as a result of being convicted of a crime.

Examples

  • "The prisoner was escorted to the court after spending several years in solitary confinement."
  • "The prisoner's sentence was reduced after he showed good behavior during his incarceration."
  • "She became a prisoner of war after being captured during the conflict."
  • "Prisoners are often given limited access to the outside world as part of their punishment."
  • "The organization works to help former prisoners reintegrate into society once they are released."
noun

A person who is trapped, restricted, or dominated by a certain situation, habit, or set of circumstances, even if not literally imprisoned.

Examples

  • "He was a prisoner to his own ambition, unable to relax or enjoy life."
  • "Some people feel like prisoners in their relationships, always doing what others expect of them."
  • "The workers became prisoners of the system, unable to escape their cycle of poverty."
  • "She felt like a prisoner of her own house, stuck in the routine of caregiving."
  • "Despite having freedom, he remained a prisoner of his addictions."

Cultural Context

The concept of being a 'prisoner' has evolved from its original legal meaning to more abstract uses in literature, philosophy, and psychology. Historically, prisoners were often viewed as those who had committed crimes or were captured during war. In modern culture, the word has expanded to encompass a variety of conditions where individuals feel constrained or oppressed by social, psychological, or environmental factors.

The Prisoner of the Mind

Story

The Prisoner of the Mind

John had never imagined himself as a prisoner. His life had been filled with ambition, climbing the corporate ladder, making deals, and constantly striving for success. Yet, as he sat in his office late one evening, surrounded by papers and emails, he began to wonder: was he really free? The hustle and pressure of his career had confined him more than he realized. In many ways, John was a prisoner to his own drive. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a peaceful evening, spent time with his family, or simply relaxed. One day, John met Sarah, a colleague who had recently left the corporate world. She shared her story of how she had felt like a prisoner to the system, always striving but never achieving true happiness. Sarah had escaped, not by leaving the physical prison of her office, but by changing her mindset. She was free now, and John couldn't help but admire her courage. That evening, John walked through the streets of the city, thinking about what Sarah had said. His mind felt imprisoned by expectations, by the idea that success was everything. For the first time in years, he wondered if he, too, could escape. As the days passed, John began to take small steps to free himself. He started taking time off, enjoyed meals with his family, and reconnected with hobbies he had forgotten. Slowly but surely, he was breaking the mental chains that had bound him for so long. But it wasn't just his own mind that had kept him a prisoner. His company had placed him in a metaphorical cage, valuing results over human connection. In a meeting with his boss, John stood up for himself. He no longer wanted to be a prisoner to the corporate machine. That was the moment everything changed. John's journey wasn't about escaping from a physical prison but from the mental and emotional prisons he had built himself. In doing so, he found freedom that he never thought possible.

The Prisoner of the Mind