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
The consequences extend far beyond the classroom, with literacy gaps often linked to unemployment and even higher rates of incarceration.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025
Prior to his own arrest and incarceration, Rick then smothers Martin to death in the hospital to spare him from witnessing the downfall of his son and destruction of his legacy.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 13 Nov. 2025
Peterson was ordered to serve 75 days of shock incarceration, credited with time already served, according to court documents.
—Kansas City Star, 13 Nov. 2025
The investigation placed the abuses within El Salvador’s broader prison system under President Nayib Bukele, whose tenure has been marked by mass incarcerations, limited transparency and recurring human rights violations.
—Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incarceration
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Nia Bowers, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025
Prior to his own arrest and incarceration, Rick then smothers Martin to death in the hospital to spare him from witnessing the downfall of his son and destruction of his legacy.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 13 Nov. 2025
Peterson was ordered to serve 75 days of shock incarceration, credited with time already served, according to court documents.
—Kansas City Star, 13 Nov. 2025
The investigation placed the abuses within El Salvador’s broader prison system under President Nayib Bukele, whose tenure has been marked by mass incarcerations, limited transparency and recurring human rights violations.
—Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incarceration
Cite this Entry
“Incarceration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incarceration. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.
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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