impound

verb

im·​pound im-ˈpau̇nd How to pronounce impound (audio)
impounded; impounding; impounds

transitive verb

1
a
: to shut up in or as if in a pound : confine
b
: to seize and hold in the custody of the law
c
: to take possession of
she was dismissed and her manuscript impoundedJonathan Weiner
2
: to collect and confine (water) in or as if in a reservoir

Examples of impound in a Sentence

The police impounded her car because it was illegally parked. impound evidence for a trial
Recent Examples on the Web The pit bulls will be impounded and examined at a nearby animal care center, the Times reported. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 17 Feb. 2024 Around the globe, impounded Russian superyachts are costing millions to maintain, Bloomberg reported last year. Vernon Silver, Fortune, 6 Aug. 2023 Their food and equipment were now fair game to impound and trash. Priscella Vega, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2024 Beltran and her mother had gone to the station to retrieve Beltran’s vehicle, which was impounded over the weekend when she was arrested on suspicion of reckless evasion. Cameron MacDonald, The Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2024 He was tasked with guarding it on the night of May 24, 2019, until it was impounded and taken to police headquarters. Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 11 Jan. 2024 The police impounded 23 vehicles belonging to Hakan Ayik. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 27 Dec. 2023 Then a sheriff’s deputy told him his RV, which had not been tagged since 2017, was going to be impounded. Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2023 The Compton area saw 114 street takeovers between April and the end of November last year, and law enforcement issued 400 citations, made 148 arrests, and impounded 109 vehicles, according to Lieutenant Ramirez. Francine Kiefer, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'impound.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of impound was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near impound

Cite this Entry

“Impound.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impound. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

impound

verb
im·​pound im-ˈpau̇nd How to pronounce impound (audio)
1
: to shut up in or as if in an enclosed place
2
: to seize and hold in the hands of the law
impound evidence for a trial
impoundment
-ˈpau̇n(d)-mənt
noun

Legal Definition

impound

transitive verb
im·​pound im-ˈpau̇nd How to pronounce impound (audio)
: to take control of in the custody of the law or by legal authority
impound a vehicle
the police impounded the dwelling until the search warrant was obtained
impoundment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on impound

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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