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Just as English is full of nouns referring to places where prisoners are confined, from the familiar (jail and prison) to the obscure (calaboose and bridewell), so we have multiple verbs for the action of putting people behind bars. Some words can be used as both nouns and verbs, if in slightly different forms: one can be jailed in a jail, imprisoned in a prison, locked up in a lockup, or even jugged in a jug. Incarcerate does not have such a noun equivalent in English—incarceration refers to the state of confinement rather than a physical structure—but it comes ultimately from the Latin noun carcer, meaning “prison.” Incarcerate is also on the formal end of the spectrum when it comes to words related to the law and criminal justice, meaning you are more likely to read or hear about someone incarcerated in a penitentiary or detention center than in the pokey or hoosegow.
Examples of incarcerate in a Sentence
Sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
Over the years, he would be incarcerated two more times, ultimately spending 12 years behind bars.
—Kizzy Cox, Essence, 4 June 2025
The penalties include: Less than one gram — State jail felony with a maximum fine of $10,000 and 180 days to two years incarcerated.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 June 2025
Todd and Julie had been incarcerated since January 2023 after being found guilty of tax evasion and bank fraud.
—Rachel Flynn, People.com, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for incarcerate
Cite this Entry
“Incarcerate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incarcerate. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
incarcerate
verb
Legal Definition
incarcerate
transitive verb
Latin incarceratus, past participle of incarcerare, from in- in + carcer prison
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