incarcerated

adjective

in·​car·​cer·​at·​ed in-ˈkär-sə-ˌrā-təd How to pronounce incarcerated (audio)
1
: confined in a jail or prison
Michigan law allows convicted felons to vote and run for office unless they are currently incarcerated, or if their offenses are fraud-related or constitute a breach of public trust.The Hartford (Connecticut) Courant
… whatever was needed for her programs combating domestic violence and aiding incarcerated women, ex-offenders, and their children.Peter Steinfels
Comparing the responses of incarcerated boys with nondelinquent adolescents, Scarpitti (1980) describes the three most probable identity resolutions …Judith Steven-Long et al.
2
medical, of a hernia : constricted but not strangulated
Within the incarcerated, herniated gastric cardia, there was an acute, benign gastric ulcer.Gregory J. Gallivan

Examples of incarcerated in a Sentence

incarcerated residents of that state are still allowed to vote in elections
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Back in 2012, the two starred in The Paperboy, in which Efron’s wide-eyed character falls for an older woman (Kidman) who is in love with an incarcerated murderer. Andrea Mandell, Peoplemag, 27 June 2024 Investigators later said the driver was unaware of the scam call that Brock had received with threats and demands for money, citing an incarcerated relative. Mark Scolforo, Fortune, 20 Apr. 2024 The jail system’s most severe problems are at Rikers Island, where neglect, mismanagement and the pandemic have created a dangerous, chaotic environment for the incarcerated and correction officers. New York Times, 8 Nov. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1766, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of incarcerated was in 1766

Dictionary Entries Near incarcerated

Cite this Entry

“Incarcerated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incarcerated. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

incarcerated

adjective
in·​car·​cer·​at·​ed in-ˈkär-sə-ˌrāt-əd How to pronounce incarcerated (audio)
of a hernia
: constricted but not strangulated

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