Spanish Conversation · Level 110
60 words
Spanish word
recluir
Pronunciation
IPA/reˈklwiɾ/
Meaning
- verblock up
Example
La policía decidió recluir al sospechoso en la cárcel.
The police decided to lock up the suspect in jail.
More examples
Durante la cuarentena, muchas personas tuvieron que recluirse en su domicilio.
During the quarantine, many people had to lock themselves up at home.
Core concept
Person confined in a prison or other closed facility.
Common phrases
recluir a alguien en la cárcel
lock someone up in jail
recluirse en casa
lock oneself up at home
Similar words
arrestar: Seized by authorities and held in custody on suspicion of committing a crime.
detener: Held temporarily under restraint to control movement, typically for questioning.
encarcelar: Committed to prison as punishment after a guilty verdict and deprived of liberty.
encerrar: Shut inside a room or building so going out is prevented.
Definition in Spanish
Privar de libertad a una persona colocándola en prisión u otro lugar cerrado.
Word origin
From Latin reclusus (re- 'back' + claudere 'to shut'), it keeps the sense of shutting someone away and means depriving a person of liberty by placing them in prison or another enclosed place.
Usage tips
- Formal and legal in tone, recluir commonly appears in news and court language and often in passive forms like fue recluido en prisión, while everyday speech prefers encerrar or meter en la cárcel.