confining

From the verb confine: (⇒ conjugate)

confining is: ⓘ

v pres p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•fine /v. kənˈfaɪn; n. ˈkɑnfaɪn/   v., -fined, -fin•ing, n. 
v. [~ + object (+ to + object)]

1. to enclose within bounds;
   limit or restrict:
   confined himself to a few remarks.
2. to keep in;
   prevent from leaving because of imprisonment, illness, etc.:
   confined to a mental institution.

n. [countable]

3. Usually, confines. [plural] a boundary or bound;
   limit;
   border:
   He stayed within the confines of the hotel.
4. Often, confines. [plural] region;
   territory.

See -fin-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•fine  (kən fīn′ for 1, 2, 5, 6; kon′fīn for 3, 4), v., -fined, -fin•ing, n. 
v.t. 

1. to enclose within bounds;
   limit or restrict:
   She confined her remarks to errors in the report. Confine your efforts to finishing the book.
2. to shut or keep in;
   prevent from leaving a place because of imprisonment, illness, discipline, etc.:
   For that offense he was confined to quarters for 30 days.

n. 

3. Usually, confines. a boundary or bound;
   limit;
   border;
   frontier.
4. Often, confines. region;
   territory.
5. [Archaic.] confinement.
6. [Obs.] a place of confinement;
   prison.

• Latin, as above
• Middle French confiner, verb, verbal derivative of confins
• Medieval Latin confinia, plural of Latin confinis boundary, border (see con-, fine²); (verb, verbal)
• Middle French confins, confines
• 1350–1400 for noun, nominal; 1515–25 for verb, verbal; (noun, nominal) Middle English

con•fin′a•ble, con•fine′a•ble, adj. 
con•fine′less, adj. 
con•fin′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. circumscribe.

Antonyms

• 1, 2. free.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

confine verb / kənˈfaɪn/(transitive)

1. to keep or close within bounds; limit; restrict
2. to keep shut in; restrict the free movement of: arthritis confined him to bed

noun / ˈkɒnfaɪn/

1. (often plural) a limit; boundary

Etymology: 16th Century: from Medieval Latin confīnāre from Latin confīnis adjacent, from fīnis end, boundary

conˈfiner noun