S'enfermer (en. To lock oneself in)

/sɑ̃.fɛʁ.me/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench

verb

To put oneself in a closed and inaccessible place.

He locked himself in his room to work.

Il s'est enfermé dans sa chambre pour travailler.

To cut oneself off from the outside world.

After the breakup, she locked herself in her sadness.

Après la rupture, elle s'est enfermée dans sa tristesse.

To be absorbed in one's thoughts to the point of neglecting social interactions.

Since he has dedicated himself to his project, he has somewhat locked himself away.

Depuis qu'il se consacre à son projet, il s'est un peu enfermé sur lui-même.

Derived from the verb 'enfermer', from Latin 'infirmare' which means 'to tighten'.

to lock oneself in one's own ideas

Not wanting to change one's mind or consider other viewpoints.

s'enfermer dans ses idées

to lock oneself in silence

To cease communication and sharing.

s'enfermer dans le silence

to lock oneself tightly

To protect oneself against intrusions or external influences.

s'enfermer à double tour

hell

Place of suffering or isolation.

enfer

firmly

In a resolute manner, with determination.

fermement

to confine

To restrict or limit a space.

confiner

To hide from the world

He has been hiding at home for weeks, it's as if he is locking himself away.

Il se cache chez lui depuis des semaines, c'est comme s'il s'enfermait.

To be in one's bubble

Since he has a new hobby, he locks himself in his bubble.

Depuis qu'il a un nouveau hobby, il s'enferme dans sa bulle.