jailbirds

Definition of jailbirdsnext
plural of jailbird
as in prisoners
a person convicted as a criminal and serving a prison sentence had spent most of his sorry life as a jailbird in hoosegows across the South

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of jailbirds But these jailbirds aren’t using their own fingers to fire off missives or create clones. Andrew Zucker, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jailbirds
Noun
  • Now, the island has 10 jails, and can house up to 17,000 prisoners, the city says.
    Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026
  • The amnesty is the second in two weeks, following an earlier one on April 17 when more than 4,500 prisoners were granted amnesty.
    ABC News, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The state itself could also put convicts to work after scooping people up for minor or fabricated offenses.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 26 Apr. 2026
  • The Mattis ruling in 2024 made more than 200 convicts eligible for parole hearings.
    Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • All 10 inmates were subsequently captured after a nationwide manhunt.
    Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Almost a year after 10 Louisiana inmates escaped from a New Orleans jail, the Orleans Parish sheriff and the office’s chief financial officer were indicted by a special grand jury on charges of malfeasance and other crimes in relation to the jailbreak.
    Devon Sayers, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jailbirds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jailbirds. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster