incarcerated

1 of 2

adjective

in·​car·​cer·​at·​ed in-ˈkär-sə-ˌrā-təd 

1

: confined in a jail or prison

Michigan law allows convicted felons to vote and run for office unless they are currently incarcerated, or if their offenses are fraud-related or constitute a breach of public trust.

—The Hartford (Connecticut) Courant

… whatever was needed for her programs combating domestic violence and aiding incarcerated women, ex-offenders, and their children.

—Peter Steinfels

Comparing the responses of incarcerated boys with nondelinquent adolescents, Scarpitti (1980) describes the three most probable identity resolutions …

—Judith Steven-Long et al.

2

medical, of a hernia : constricted but not strangulated

Within the incarcerated, herniated gastric cardia, there was an acute, benign gastric ulcer.

—Gregory J. Gallivan

incarcerated

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of incarcerate

Synonyms of incarcerated

Adjective

• imprisoned
• arrested
• captive
• jailed

Examples of incarcerated in a Sentence

Adjective

incarcerated residents of that state are still allowed to vote in elections

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Congress should fully fund federal prisons so the bureau is adequately staffed and equipped to safely prepare incarcerated men and women for reentry and reduce further instances of crime. — Scott Peyton, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026

Under President Joe Biden, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered Tel*Link to pay $3 million for illegally freezing and draining funds from incarcerated people’s accounts. — Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 8 Oct. 2026

Fleming also had two sentences for in-prison offenses — in 2021 in Kern County and in 2025 in Kings County, each for possession and manufacturing of a deadly weapon by an incarcerated person. — Michael McGough, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026

The lawsuit over healthcare for incarcerated people covers Arizona’s nine state-run prisons but not the nearly 10,000 Arizona inmates held in private prisons. — Jacques Billeaud, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1766, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for incarcerated

• abbreviated
• accelerated
• accentuated
• accommodated
• acculturated
• accumulated
• acidulated
• adjudicated
• administrated
• adulterated
• affiliated
• agglomerated

Medical Definition

incarcerated

adjective

in·​car·​cer·​at·​ed in-ˈkär-sə-ˌrāt-əd 

of a hernia

: constricted but not strangulated