Incarceration — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /(ˌ)in-ˌkär-sə-ˈrā-shən/ in·car·cer·a·tion

Meaning & Definition of Incarceration

Incarceration (noun)

  1. confinement in a jail or prison, the act of imprisoning someone or the state of being imprisoned

Incarceration (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the act of confining or the state of being confined

    "he was bored and frustrated by his incarceration in the quarantine"

    similar: captivity, confinement, immurement, impoundment, imprisonment, internment, prison
    related: bondage, enslavement, servitude, restraint, restriction, arrest, capture, entrapment, custody, detainer, detainment, detention, house arrest
    near: emancipation, liberation, manumission, redemption, release, freedom, independence, liberty

  2. the state of being held in lawful custody

    "sentenced to six months of incarceration for dealing in narcotics"

    similar: detainer, detainment, detention, hold, immurement, imprisonment
    related: captivity, confinement, internment, apprehension, arrest, arrestment, bust (slang), collar, pinch, capture, entrapment, seizure, enchainment, restraint
    opposite: discharge, release
    near: emancipation, freedom, liberation

Related Entry: Incarcerate (verb)

Incarcerate is a different word from Incarceration. The synonyms below are for incarcerate, not for incarceration.

  1. to put in or as if in prison

    "the state incarcerated over 1900 people last year"

    similar: commit, confine, immure, imprison, intern, jail, jug, lock (up)
    related: constrain, limit, restrain, restrict, shut, bar, gate, apprehend, arrest, bust (slang), capture, catch, detain, nab, pick up, pinch, seize, impress, shanghai, hold, impound, keep, bind, enchain, fetter, handcuff, manacle, shackle, trammel
    opposite: discharge, free, liberate, release
    near: emancipate, enfranchise, manumit, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Incarceration

The most common words with a similar meaning to Incarceration:

captivity, confinement, immurement, impoundment, imprisonment, internment, prison, detainer, detainment, detention, hold

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Incarceration

Words with the opposite meaning of Incarceration:

discharge, release

Related Words for Incarceration

bondage, enslavement, servitude, restraint, restriction, arrest, capture, entrapment, custody, house arrest, apprehension, arrestment, bust, collar, pinch, seizure, enchainment

Near Antonyms of Incarceration

emancipation, liberation, manumission, redemption, freedom, independence, liberty

Word Forms of Incarceration

Inflections: incarcerations

Origin & Etymology of Incarceration

First known use: circa 1540

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Incarceration

Frequently Asked Questions about Incarceration

What does "Incarceration" mean?

"Incarceration" means confinement in a jail or prison, the act of imprisoning someone or the state of being imprisoned. As a noun, it is defined as: confinement in a jail or prison, the act of imprisoning someone or the state of being imprisoned. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Incarceration"?

Other words for "Incarceration" include captivity, confinement, immurement, impoundment, imprisonment, internment, prison and detainer. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Incarceration" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Incarceration"?

There are 28 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Incarceration". Common alternatives include captivity, confinement, immurement, impoundment, imprisonment, internment, prison, detainer, detainment and detention.

What is the opposite of "Incarceration"?

Antonyms of "Incarceration" include discharge and release. Near antonyms include emancipation, liberation, manumission and redemption.

How do you use "Incarceration" in a sentence?

Examples 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".

Is "Incarceration" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Incarceration" is a noun.

Is "Incarceration" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Incarceration" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Incarceration"?

"Incarceration" is pronounced /(ˌ)in-ˌkär-sə-ˈrā-shən/ and divided into syllables as in·car·cer·a·tion.