Definition

Noun: 1. A system of forced labor camps, especially for political prisoners, in the former Soviet Union: The term specifically refers to the vast network of camps maintained by the Soviet government from the 1930s to the 1950s. 2. Any oppressive system of confinement or control, often used metaphorically: In a broader, figurative sense, it can describe any situation or institution characterized by harsh, unjust, and restrictive conditions.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Millions of people were sent to the gulag during Stalin's rule.
  • The author's novel describes his harrowing experiences in a Siberian gulag.
  • (Figurative) Critics accused the company of running a corporate gulag, with its strict surveillance and lack of personal freedom.

Advanced Usage

• "the gulag archipelago": A term popularized by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's historical work, referring to the widespread and systemic nature of the Soviet camp system scattered across the USSR like a chain of islands.
  • Solzhenitsyn's "The Gulag Archipelago" exposed the horrors of the Soviet labor camps to the world.

Variants and Related Words

• Gulag is typically used as a proper noun (the Gulag) when referring specifically to the historical Soviet system. It is used as a common noun (a gulag) in its metaphorical sense.
• Labor camp (n): A camp where prisoners are forced to perform hard labor.
• Penal colony (n): A settlement used to exile prisoners and separate them from the general population by placing them in a remote location.

Synonyms

• Labor camp
• Forced labor camp
• Internment camp (in a general sense)
• Prison camp

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Sent to the gulag": Used hyperbolically to mean being severely punished, ostracized, or sent away for holding a dissenting opinion.
  • After criticizing the manager's plan, he joked that he'd be sent to the gulag.

Noun

1. a Russian prison camp for political prisoners