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

The Bureau failed to complete required risk and needs assessments within statutory timeframes for a significant portion of incarcerated people, citing technology issues, staffing limitations, and data problems. —Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026

But the incarcerated trio never gave up. —Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 28 Jan. 2026

Just hours after he was taken into custody, Anderson was involved in a physical altercation with another incarcerated person. —Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026

Schnell said his department routinely communicates with ICE in the weeks before an incarcerated person's release to arrange handoffs if a detainer is in place. —Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026

This best documentary feature nominee, now streaming on HBO Max and Hulu with certain bundles, focuses on the sudden death of Steven Davis, an incarcerated man who was beaten to death by prison guards. —Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 22 Jan. 2026

As deaths mount, the incarcerated population discovers that collective action may be their only path to survival. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Jan. 2026

For us, the answers came from incarcerated men using contraband cell phones to expose shocking human rights abuses in Alabama’s fourteen prisons. —Andrew Jarecki & Charlotte Kaufman, IndieWire, 15 Jan. 2026

But in July 2025, the jail failed a special off-site inspection of paperwork, prompted by complaints about two incarcerated people. —Tracey McManus, Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 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