incarcerated

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

Synonyms of incarcerated

• imprisoned
• arrested
• captive
• jailed

Examples of incarcerated in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Twenty years after enactment, the DOJ said in a 2020 report, some institutions continue to impose substantial burdens on incarcerated people who are following the tenets of their religion. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 23 June 2026

This ruling will further erode critical civil rights protections of the far too many incarcerated people in this country. — Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026

For any problem in an incarcerated person's life — from not getting enough toilet paper to being subject to extreme physical abuse — the grievance system is the primary way to speak out. — Christie Thompson, NPR, 17 June 2026

But on Tuesday, there was a palpable shift in the air as dozens of incarcerated students crossed the graduation stage to receive their diploma from the public high school on Rikers, East River Academy — with a surprise commencement address by Mayor Mamdani. — Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 16 June 2026

The Allegheny County Police Department said in a news release on Tuesday that the eight incarcerated men are charged in connection with the death of 44-year-old Tyrone Good. — Michael Guise, CBS News, 9 June 2026

Other accomplishments of Wilson’s include the creation of the Florida Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys and prison reform that allows incarcerated mothers to be closer to their children. — Miami Herald, 30 May 2026

Those include the Attica uprising in 1971, attempts to unionize incarcerated workers and prison labor strikes. — Julia Bowling, The Conversation, 29 May 2026

In the absence of more prison closures, CDCR’s costs will continue to grow, largely due to increases in employee compensation costs and higher medical costs for incarcerated people. — William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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