noun
incarceration
in-kar-suh-RAY-shun/ɪnˌkɑːrsəˈreɪʃn/
Confinement in prison or jail.
The man's incarceration confines him behind the locked barred door.
Etymology
The pieces express putting someone into a prison or enclosed space. The noun names the resulting confinement, preserving the concrete prison meaning of Latin carcer.
In context
it was non-stop incarceration i just kept going to jail every year every year i was in jail
More examples
- He faces five years of incarceration if convicted.
- During her incarceration, she takes classes toward a college degree.
- The report examines the effects of mass incarceration on families.
Forms
incarceration · incarcerations
incarcerate verb — To confine someone in prison or jail.
Similar words
- imprisonment
- Interchangeable in most contexts; incarceration often sounds more formal.
- confinement
- Broader restriction of movement, not necessarily in a prison.
- detention
- Usually temporary custody, often before trial or a decision.