Keeping someone or something within limits; shutting someone in a space or restricting their freedom; or limiting something to a particular area or group.
From Latin 'confinis'—'con' (together) plus 'finis' (boundary, end). The word suggests drawing boundaries around something, from which the sense of restriction developed.
The root 'finis' gives us 'final,' 'define,' and 'infinite'—all about boundaries and endings, so 'confining' literally means 'putting something within defined boundaries,' which is why a small space feels confining but defining your life goals paradoxically feels liberating.
Confinement language ('confined to home,' 'confined to domestic sphere') historically justified women's legal and social restriction. The word itself is neutral, but its application to women's roles enforced gendered limits.
Use for physical/spatial limitation, not as normative descriptor of gender roles. Avoid 'confined to' when describing women's expected or actual work.
["restricted to","limited to","bound by"]
Women's liberation movements directly challenged confinement narratives, from voting rights to workforce participation, asserting freedom of choice over prescribed roles.
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