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Definition of incarceration

incarceration

/ɪnˌkɑːr.səˈreɪ.ʃən/
in · car · cer · a · tion
Plural:incarcerations
•
Adjective:incarcerative
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incarceration Lexical Profile

incarceration Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The state of being confined in a prison or jail, or the act of imprisoning someone.

Example

"The legal reform commission studied alternatives to long-term incarceration for nonviolent offenders."

2

In medicine, the abnormal trapping or constriction of a body part, such as a hernia that cannot be easily returned to its normal cavity.

Example

"Emergency surgery was required to relieve the incarceration of the intestinal loop."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for incarceration

• Nearby Words

incapacity
incapillo
incarcerate
incarceration
incarcerator
incarnate
incarnation

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the 16th century from Medieval Latin incarceratio, derived from the verb incarcerare ('to imprison'), from in- ('into') and Latin carcer ('prison' or 'enclosure').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Incarceration. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/incarceration
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