incarceration

American  

[in-kahr-suh-rey-shuhn] / ɪnˌkɑr səˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of incarcerating, or putting in prison or another enclosure.

   The rate of incarceration has increased dramatically.

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Etymology

Origin of incarceration

First recorded in 1530–40; from French incarcération, from Latin incarcerātiōn-, stem of incarcerātiō, equivalent to incarcerāt(us), past participle of incarcerāre “to imprison” + -iō -ion ( def. ); incarcerate ( def. )

Example Sentences

Its grant-renewal proposal promises to serve “people currently and formerly-incarcerated” and to “change the narrative that links incarceration to justice.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Adapted from European models, it’s a vision of incarceration that is meant to deal with the reality that 95% of people who go to prison are eventually released.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

The regime released him from the notorious Helicoide prison in Caracas on Sunday after eight months of incarceration.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Scotland - which along with other parts of Britain has one of the highest incarceration rates in Europe - has announced several emergency measures in recent years in a bid to cut its prison population.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

What if the prosecutors, hoping to justify Zeitoun’s incarceration, tried to make a case against him—a connection, any distant connection, to some terrorist activity?

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers

Related Words

• captivity
• confinement