incarcerated
adjective
in·car·cer·at·ed
in-ˈkär-sə-ˌrā-təd 
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
The Hartford (Connecticut) Courant… whatever was needed for her programs combating domestic violence and aiding incarcerated women, ex-offenders, and their children.—Peter Steinfels
Peter SteinfelsComparing the responses of incarcerated boys with nondelinquent adolescents, Scarpitti (1980) describes the three most probable identity resolutions …—Judith Steven-Long et al.
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
Gregory J. GallivanExamples of incarcerated in a Sentence
incarcerated residents of that state are still allowed to vote in elections
Recent Examples on the Web
Consider, for instance, that the overrepresentation of serious mental illnesses among the homeless and incarcerated is a visible testament to our failure to treat these brain disorders early and effectively.
—Eric J. Nestler, STAT, 28 Apr. 2026
Garcia Torres will remain incarcerated — records show he is being held in Corcoran State Prison — pending the appellate process and any subsequent decision by the district attorney’s office on whether to re-file a murder charge against him.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 27 Apr. 2026
Each week, the media organization — which reports on the American prison system — is releasing a song performed by an incarcerated person in its newsletter, Redemption Songs.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026
An incarcerated man who fled from a community work crew in Plymouth, Minnesota, on Friday morning has been taken back into custody, according to the state's Department of Corrections.
—Nick Lentz, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
By communicating with incarcerated activists Robert Earl Council and Melvin Ray, the film exposes systemic issues, including brutal conditions and high mortality rates, while advocating for transparency and justice in a system that often operates in secrecy.
—Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
At the same time, Reisz said, lawyers are pushing judges who oversee the cases to act swiftly, since interminable procedural delays ensure people remain incarcerated.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
The rivetingly intimate Jail Time Records profiles the first prison recording studio on the African continent and three incarcerated artists who express themselves through music.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
Jim Bob Duggar, star of TLC's 19 Kids and Counting, tried to impart some fatherly love to his second incarcerated son.
—Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Apr. 2026
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Eric J. Nestler, STAT, 28 Apr. 2026
Garcia Torres will remain incarcerated — records show he is being held in Corcoran State Prison — pending the appellate process and any subsequent decision by the district attorney’s office on whether to re-file a murder charge against him.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 27 Apr. 2026
Each week, the media organization — which reports on the American prison system — is releasing a song performed by an incarcerated person in its newsletter, Redemption Songs.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026
An incarcerated man who fled from a community work crew in Plymouth, Minnesota, on Friday morning has been taken back into custody, according to the state's Department of Corrections.
—Nick Lentz, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
By communicating with incarcerated activists Robert Earl Council and Melvin Ray, the film exposes systemic issues, including brutal conditions and high mortality rates, while advocating for transparency and justice in a system that often operates in secrecy.
—Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
At the same time, Reisz said, lawyers are pushing judges who oversee the cases to act swiftly, since interminable procedural delays ensure people remain incarcerated.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
The rivetingly intimate Jail Time Records profiles the first prison recording studio on the African continent and three incarcerated artists who express themselves through music.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
Jim Bob Duggar, star of TLC's 19 Kids and Counting, tried to impart some fatherly love to his second incarcerated son.
—Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Incarcerated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incarcerated. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
incarcerated
adjective
in·car·cer·at·ed
in-ˈkär-sə-ˌrāt-əd
of a hernia
: constricted but not strangulated
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