1. a Soviet forced labor camp, especially for political prisoners
Usage: historical
2. any harsh or oppressive prison or detention facility
Usage: by extension

Examples

• Millions of people were sent to gulags during Stalin’s reign.
• The writer spent years in a Siberian gulag for his political views.
• Many gulag prisoners worked in mines under brutal conditions.
• The novel describes life in a Soviet gulag during the 1950s.
• He compared the harsh prison to a modern-day gulag.
• The documentary explored the history of the gulag system.