incarceration
noun
in·car·cer·a·tion
(ˌ)in-ˌkär-sə-ˈrā-shən 
plural incarcerations
: confinement in a jail or prison : the act of imprisoning someone or the state of being imprisoned
Despite the drop in crime in past decades, rates of arrest and incarceration in New York City have not gone down.—
Robin Steinberg
Robin SteinbergTo this day, the Supreme Court has not overruled its infamous Korematsu opinion of 1944, which validated our mass incarceration in deference to national security.—George Takei
George TakeiExamples of incarceration in a Sentence
he was bored and frustrated by his incarceration in the quarantine
sentenced to six months of incarceration for dealing in narcotics
Recent Examples on the Web
Viewing incarceration and homelessness through a compassionate lens leads to solutions focused on rehabilitation and support, recognizing systemic causes.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
The Sheriff’s Department must work collaboratively with service providers to address the connection between homelessness, mental health challenges and incarceration.
—Sierra Van Der Brug, Daily News, 4 May 2026
America has lost the concept of deterrence and incarceration, the very reasons those institutions were established.
—Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
Many come straight from incarceration, others struggle with mental illness and addiction.
—Niki Donohue, New York Daily News, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for incarceration
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Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
The Sheriff’s Department must work collaboratively with service providers to address the connection between homelessness, mental health challenges and incarceration.
—Sierra Van Der Brug, Daily News, 4 May 2026
America has lost the concept of deterrence and incarceration, the very reasons those institutions were established.
—Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
Many come straight from incarceration, others struggle with mental illness and addiction.
—Niki Donohue, New York Daily News, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for incarceration
Cite this Entry
“Incarceration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incarceration. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
incarceration
noun
in·car·cer·a·tion
in-ˌkär-sə-ˈrā-shən
1
: a confining or state of being confined
2
: abnormal retention or confinement of a body part
specifically
: a constriction of the neck of a hernial sac so that the hernial contents become irreducible
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