incarceration

noun
UK: /ɪnˌkɑːsəˈreɪʃən/
US: /ɪnˌkɑːrsəˈreɪʃən/

  1. The state of being imprisoned or confined; the act of putting someone in prison or another enclosed space.

    1. His incarceration lasted five years before his release.
    2. The high incarceration rate reflects issues within the community and justice system.

  2. The act of restraining someone's freedom or movement, not necessarily involving physical imprisonment; restriction.

    1. Self-incarceration at home can be tough during lockdown.
    2. His social incarceration began when he started isolating himself from his friends.

Synonyms

confinement detention custody internment
incarceration transitive-verb

  1. To imprison or confine someone.

    1. They will incarcerate him if he commits the crime.
    2. The court decided to incarcerate the criminal for ten years without parole.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "incarceration" in English means: The state of being imprisoned or confined; the act of putting someone in prison or another enclosed space., The act of restraining someone's freedom or movement, not necessarily involving physical imprisonment; restriction..

The phonetic transcription of "incarceration" is /ɪnˌkɑːsəˈreɪʃən/ in British English and /ɪnˌkɑːrsəˈreɪʃən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "incarceration": confinement, detention, custody, internment.

Example usage of "incarceration": "His incarceration lasted five years before his release.". More examples on the page.