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 His government’s own hardline crackdown on gangs back home did restore peace to what was once the most violent country in the Western Hemisphere — though critics highlight his use of mass incarceration and accusations of widespread abuses. — CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026 In 2015, Legend founded FREEAMERICA to help end mass incarceration and reimagine public safety. — Paul Grein, Billboard, 27 Oct. 2026 Panahi subsequently traveled widely to promote the drama, which centers around an outpouring of strong feelings by a group of former prisoners toward a torturous guard and stems from his incarceration. — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026 This was the campaign strategy of a 2025 challenger in Norfolk, Virginia, who called for a return to heavier prison use after four years of efforts by the incumbent to reduce incarceration. — Ronald Wright, The Conversation, 27 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
  • The discussions focused largely on prisoner exchanges, civilians and children held in captivity, and security guarantees, as the two sides remain far apart on territory and NATO.
    — Bassam Hatoum, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Rama soon learns that the people of Ayodhya are raising questions about Sita’s chastity after her captivity in Lanka and criticizing him for taking her back.
    — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of captivity
Noun
  • What readers are saying The comments reflect a strong sentiment against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with many expressing hope for his removal from power and potential imprisonment.
    — Gerry Shih, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2026
  • During his imprisonment, al-Sakani was separated from his wife, Iman, and their 3-year-old daughter, Misk.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Nov. 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
  • He was placed on home detention at the memory care facility where he had been arrested.
    — Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The policies come as an unprecedented number of immigrants held in Aurora have challenged their detention in federal court, prompting judges to repeatedly order their release.
    — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of detention
Noun
  • He was handcuffed and taken to prison, a cell the size of a closet and where an orange plastic bucket would serve as his toilet.
    — Mark Kennedy, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Maxwell is the only associate of Epstein to be charged with a crime and sentenced to prison.
    — Ava Berger, NPR, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of prison
Noun
  • The cage-free adoption and medical facility was designed to maximize socialization and lessen any stress on the animals by eliminating confinement.
    — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The Miami Correctional Facility, however, is the only detention center located inside an active state prison designed for punitive confinement.
    — Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 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 14 Nov. 2026.

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