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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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incarcerated

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

"incarcerated" is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is primarily used as a verb to indicate that someone has been put in prison or another form of confinement. Example sentence: After being convicted of robbery, he was incarcerated in a state penitentiary.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

More than 400 protesters gathered outside the centre in Bedfordshire, where a similar number of women are incarcerated.

News & Media

The Guardian

Tarantino confirmed last month that Django Unchained begins with German-born bounty hunter Dr King Schultz Christoph Waltzz) freeing Jamie Foxx's title character and helping to train him in combat so that he can return to the plantation where his wife is incarcerated in the hope of liberating her.

Amnesty International warned that Ibrahim's death sentence meant hundreds of former Gaddafi supporters incarcerated across Libya may face the same fate.

News & Media

The Guardian

In the dead of night Fahad Abdul Kariem and Ayman Karawani left the secret house where they had in effect been incarcerated for 18 days with nothing but the clothes they were wearing.

News & Media

The Guardian

Related: Sexual assaults in prisons in England and Wales on the rise, figures reveal While these numbers include a handful of extremely dangerous young people who have committed shocking crimes, most have found themselves incarcerated after a succession of minor offences – the average time served is less than three months.

Eventually, empowered by a forbidden love affair, his capacity for trouble leaked beyond the prison's walls in the form of a thoughtful and controversial blog which, while he was still incarcerated, was long-listed for the Orwell Prize.

News & Media

The Guardian

I cannot see, for example, that anything positive is going to come of draining resources out of Aboriginal Legal Services when we are still incarcerated at exorbitant rates, nor any benefits to Family Violence Prevention services when Aboriginal women are still 45 times more likely to experience family violence.

During these pogroms, 91 Jews were killed, thousands were taken from their homes and incarcerated in concentration camps, 267 synagogues were destroyed, and some 7,500 Jewish-owned shops were smashed and looted.

News & Media

The Guardian

The CIA, in concert with the AFL-CIO American labour movement, intensified underground efforts to help Solidarity as the movement fought for survival while Lech Wałesa and many of its other leaders were incarcerated.

News & Media

The Guardian

However, Azmi and others said that a series of terrorist cases in recent years in which Muslims had been suspected, investigated and often incarcerated for long periods before being acquitted had damaged trust in the police and, more broadly, the government.

News & Media

The Guardian

Fully 65% of young offenders incarcerated in one of the state's long-term facilities, and 53% of convicted juveniles not sent to a long-term state-run facility, commit another crime within the next three years.

News & Media

The Economist
Show more...

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "incarcerated" when you want to convey a formal and serious tone, emphasizing the legal aspect of imprisonment. It is particularly suitable for news reports, legal documents, and academic writing.

Common error

Avoid using "incarcerated" as a casual synonym for simpler terms like "detained" or "confined" when the context does not warrant the formality. Overusing it can make your writing sound unnecessarily stilted.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

88%

Authority and reliability

4.6/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "incarcerated" is as a past participle or adjective, describing the state of being imprisoned. It is derived from the verb "incarcerate". As Ludwig AI confirms, it accurately describes someone being confined in prison.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Formal & Business

16%

Science

18%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "incarcerated" is a grammatically correct and frequently used term, as Ludwig AI confirms, to describe someone who has been imprisoned. It carries a formal tone and is commonly found in news reports, legal documents, and academic writing. While alternatives like "jailed" or "confined" exist, "incarcerated" specifically emphasizes the legal and institutional aspect of imprisonment. It's important to avoid overusing it in casual contexts. Usage analysis reveals its high frequency in "News & Media", "Formal & Business", and "Science" sources, highlighting its relevance in professional and factual discourse.

FAQs

How can I use "incarcerated" in a sentence?

You can use "incarcerated" to describe someone who is imprisoned, such as "The suspect was "incarcerated" after the trial".

What is the difference between "incarcerated" and "imprisoned"?

"Incarcerated" and "imprisoned" are very similar, but "incarcerated" often carries a slightly more formal and legalistic tone. You can use alternatives like "imprisoned".

What are some alternatives to using the word "incarcerated"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "jailed", "confined", or "detained".

Is it correct to say someone was "incarcerated for life"?

Yes, it is correct. The phrase "incarcerated for life" means that someone is sentenced to spend the rest of their life in prison. It is similar to saying they received a life sentence.

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Source & Trust

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Authority and reliability

4.6/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: