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Incarcerated - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

Incarcerated means being confined in prison or jail as a result of legal punishment. It refers to the state of being deprived of freedom due to criminal conviction.

incarcerated

/ɪnˈkɑːrsəreɪtɪd/ /ɪnˈkɑːsəreɪtɪd/

Definition:

Imprisoned or confined, especially in jail.

Synonyms:

imprisoned, jailed, confined, detained, locked up

Part of Speech:

adjective, verb (past tense)

Antonyms:

freed, released

Common Collocations:

incarcerated person, incarcerated population, wrongfully incarcerated

Derivatives:

incarceration, incarcerating

Usage Tips:

Use "incarcerated" to describe someone legally confined; avoid for casual or metaphorical contexts like "trapped in a job."

Common Phrases:

behind bars, locked up, doing time

Etymology:

From Latin "incarcerare," meaning "to imprison" (in- "in" + carcer "prison").

Examples:

  • 1. The judge incarcerated the criminal for ten years.
  • 2. Many innocent people have been wrongfully incarcerated.
  • 3. She fought for the rights of incarcerated individuals.
  • 4. He was incarcerated after failing to pay bail.

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