incarcerate

Meaning

Verb

1. (US, transitive) To lock away; to imprison, especially for breaking the law.
2. (transitive) To confine; to shut up or enclose; to hem in.

Adj

Incarcerated: jailed, imprisoned, confined, shut in.

Synonyms

imprison

jail

confine

put in prison

gaol

detain

remand

immure

lag

put away

put behind bars

jug

lock up

put prison

apprehend

sent to the Tower

arrest

cage

capture

coop up

hold in custody

intern

prison

restrain

commit to prison

go to prison

detain under custody

send to prison

Translations

encarcelar

incarcérer

incarcerare

imprigionare

emprisonner

einkerkern

opsluiten

einsperren

imprisonner

aprisionar

encarcerar

φυλακίζω

empresonar

gevangenzetten

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɪnˈkɑː.səˌɹeɪt/

Etymology

The adjective is first attested in 1528, the verb in 1575; borrowed from Medieval Latin incarcerātus, perfect passive participle of incarcerō (“to imprison”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from Latin in- (“in”) + carcer (“a prison”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). Common participial usage of the adjective up until Early Modern English.