incarceration

noun

(ˌ)in-ˌkär-sə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce incarceration (audio)
Definition of incarcerationnext
1
as in captivity
the act of confining or the state of being confined he was bored and frustrated by his incarceration in the quarantine

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imprisonment
the state of being held in lawful custody sentenced to six months of incarceration for dealing in narcotics

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of incarceration With the help of literature and creative writing, the nonprofit fosters a space for connection, self-expression and imagining a life beyond incarceration. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026 The entry is paired with a suite of portraits of a number of Black men and women wearing MooreWraps, versatile multi-wear garments created by Moore’s sister with proceeds donated to victims of domestic violence and incarceration. — Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026 Before his incarceration, Magaña managed to keep his mental health struggles mostly contained with medication for years, Alejandra said. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026 During the mid-2000s, some tribal members, enticed by a chance at life-changing money, got involved in moving people and drugs, fueling cycles of arrest and incarceration that exacerbated challenges the community was already facing. — Ryan Devereaux, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for incarceration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incarceration
  1. captivity
  2. imprisonment
  3. internment
  4. detention
  5. prison
  6. confinement
Noun
  • But their local expertise, connections, courage, and instincts could stave off death or captivity.
    — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Regev directly countered Piker's claims about the October 7 attacks by delivering a harrowing eyewitness account of her captivity in Gaza.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of captivity
Noun
  • According to the church, Wang's family has been permitted fewer than five visits during nearly eight years of imprisonment.
    — Mitch Picasso, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • For some, the potential release of thousands of prisoners doesn’t go far enough to repair the damage of their prolonged imprisonment.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of imprisonment
Noun
  • Adding to the dark absurdity of the situation was the fact that Seghers’s husband, the Hungarian Marxist scholar László Radványi, was being held in a French internment camp, on the basis that Hungary was a German ally.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • At the exhibition’s press opening, curator Cindy Kang talked about trying to dispel the idea that internment was an isolated incident that these artists then moved on from.
    — Robert Sullivan, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of internment
Noun
  • The spokesman added that wrongful detention is determined by a variety of factors, including having US citizenship or a connection to the US.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • There was no immediate comment from the police on the detention.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of detention
Noun
  • The 911 call recordings, as reported by the Associated Press, showed that first responders and prison officials did not know whether a request for emergency help from within the execution chamber was legitimate.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Eady-Williams sentenced Pham and Salerno to life in prison without possibility of parole for the murder charges.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of prison
Noun
  • As such, it could be easily exported to describe Jewish quarters elsewhere—and eventually adapted to describe sites of confinement or exclusion the world over.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In the 1925 novel, the appearance of fledglings symbolizes freedom, confinement and even spiritual rebirth, themes that follow lead characters Clarissa and Sally (whom Edebiri portrays) as the story unfolds.
    — Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of confinement

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incarceration
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Cite this Entry

“Incarceration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incarceration. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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