1
as in captivities
the act of confining or the state of being confined
he was bored and frustrated by his incarceration in the quarantine
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imprisonments
the state of being held in lawful custody
sentenced to six months of incarceration for dealing in narcotics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of incarcerations
Once a technically complicated legal rarity used to challenge improper incarcerations, habeas corpus petitions have become the predominant avenue for immigrants seeking release from detentions that increasingly end only with a deportation order.
—
Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
Despite their felony convictions and impending incarcerations, both former Met police career criminals continue to collect their monthly kisses in the mail — $8,850 a month for Cederquist and $6,020 for Butner.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
Baltimore leaders say that 87% of young men enrolled in Roca Baltimore for 24 months have no new incarcerations, while those who stay in the program for three years are 19% less likely to return to a life of crime than other similarly aged men in Maryland.
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 4 Dec. 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
The incarcerations have been part of Bukele’s controversial efforts to stem the high crime rates and gang violence that have plagued the country for years.
—Michael Rios, CNN, 17 Mar. 2025
The Body Politic uplifts Baltimore’s relative success in decreasing the city’s homicide and violent crime rate while not increasing incarcerations or the rate of citizen-police interactions.
—Richard Fowler, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
Saturday, the nearly 30 young people attending the event sat around tables, discussing the issues important to them — from crime and education to jobs and youth incarcerations.
—La Risa R. Lynch, Journal Sentinel, 3 Oct. 2024
Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
Despite their felony convictions and impending incarcerations, both former Met police career criminals continue to collect their monthly kisses in the mail — $8,850 a month for Cederquist and $6,020 for Butner.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
Baltimore leaders say that 87% of young men enrolled in Roca Baltimore for 24 months have no new incarcerations, while those who stay in the program for three years are 19% less likely to return to a life of crime than other similarly aged men in Maryland.
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 4 Dec. 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
The incarcerations have been part of Bukele’s controversial efforts to stem the high crime rates and gang violence that have plagued the country for years.
—Michael Rios, CNN, 17 Mar. 2025
The Body Politic uplifts Baltimore’s relative success in decreasing the city’s homicide and violent crime rate while not increasing incarcerations or the rate of citizen-police interactions.
—Richard Fowler, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
Saturday, the nearly 30 young people attending the event sat around tables, discussing the issues important to them — from crime and education to jobs and youth incarcerations.
—La Risa R. Lynch, Journal Sentinel, 3 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incarcerations
Noun
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In Acts, the disciple Paul endures several imprisonments, turning to God for strength and divine intervention.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
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Lusverti added that the list of beneficiaries fails to cover key periods of arbitrary detentions, including cases between 2020 and 2024, and raised concerns that the same courts that ordered the imprisonments are now responsible for administering the amnesty.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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While none of those migrants are being held at Bata, the visit put the spotlight on Equatorial Guinea’s overall human rights record and its judiciary, which rights campaigners have criticized for its lack of independence, arbitrary detentions and other abuses.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
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The detentions have made residents hesitant to speak about the war, throttled the availability of crucial online evidence of the unfolding conflict and contributed to a climate of fear in the face of authoritarian governments.—
Jane Lytvynenko,
NBC news,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Incarcerations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incarcerations. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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