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
Before the event, Serna said the goal was to make sure that women in custody know about the resources available to them both in the jail and after release to help break the cycle of incarceration.
—Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2025
Mothers in lockup have a different experience compared to those who aren’t behind bars, as incarceration can impact the emotional, physical, and psychological well-being of the mom and her baby, but luckily, programs of support are being established in jails, like Rikers Island’s Doula Program.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 10 May 2025
In December, Wallen pleaded conditionally guilty due to judicial diversion, and a Nashville judge sentenced him to one week of incarceration, to be served at a DUI education center, as well as two years' probation: one year for each of his misdemeanor charges for reckless endangerment.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 9 May 2025
Assange got his freedom after five years of incarceration in Britain, saw the threat of 175 years behind bars and extradition to the USA lifted, and traveled back home Down Under.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for incarceration
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Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2025
Mothers in lockup have a different experience compared to those who aren’t behind bars, as incarceration can impact the emotional, physical, and psychological well-being of the mom and her baby, but luckily, programs of support are being established in jails, like Rikers Island’s Doula Program.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 10 May 2025
In December, Wallen pleaded conditionally guilty due to judicial diversion, and a Nashville judge sentenced him to one week of incarceration, to be served at a DUI education center, as well as two years' probation: one year for each of his misdemeanor charges for reckless endangerment.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 9 May 2025
Assange got his freedom after five years of incarceration in Britain, saw the threat of 175 years behind bars and extradition to the USA lifted, and traveled back home Down Under.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 8 May 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 18 May. 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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