incarceration

/ɪŋˌkɑː(ɹ)səˈɹeɪʃən/

//ɪŋˌkɑː(ɹ)səˈɹeɪʃən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"incarceration" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“incarceration” has 20 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #18,107. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#18,107
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords
20
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The act of confining, or the state of being confined; imprisonment.

Corpus desk

Index EN-incarceration · incarceration · English

incarceration · rank #18,107 · 20 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #18,107
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 20 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH implements

Nearest frequency peer: implements (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “incarceration”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “incarceration” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for incarceration
PropertyValue
Headwordincarceration
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɪŋˌkɑː(ɹ)səˈɹeɪʃən/
Letters13
Frequency rank#18,107
Misspellings tracked20
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “incarceration”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).incarcerationlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “implements” (#18,106), “incest” (#18,108), “IDS” (#18,105). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “incarceration” is #18,107. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 20 spelling variants around incarceration (IPA /ɪŋˌkɑː(ɹ)səˈɹeɪʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #18,107 among 2,140 “I” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 20 likely wrong-spelling variants for incarceration, with forms such as "icnarceration", "inacrceration", and "incacreration". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Medieval Latin incarcerātiō. The correct English form is incarceration, spelled I-N-C-A-R-C-E-R-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of confining, or the state of being confined; imprisonment.
  2. 2
    A strangulation, as in a hernia.
  3. 3
    A constriction of the hernial sac, rendering it irreducible, but not great enough to cause strangulation.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how incarceration appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Perpetrated over time, better walk the narrow line / Never challenge what we say / In the darkness of our mind, never thought we'd be so blind / Let the nightmare get away / Isolation cannot be / The best, the best that we can do / Build a cage full of rage, inner demons call your name / Suicide, your only friend / Extermination of ourselves, mass incarce…
  2. […]Syria reemerged indirectly, through Turkey's incarceration of Pastor Andrew Brunson.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin incarcerātiō.

This word in other languages

encarcelación(Español)incarcération(Français)encarceramento(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • icnarceration
  • inacrceration
  • incacreration
  • incarcceration
  • incarceartion
  • incarceraiton
  • incarcerasion
  • incarceratino
  • incarcerationn
  • incarceratoin
  • incarcerattion
  • incarcerration
  • incarcertaion
  • incarcreation
  • incarecration
  • incarrceration
  • inccarceration
  • incraceration
  • inncarceration
  • nicarceration

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of incarceration - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

icnarceration2inacrceration2incacreration2incarcceration1incarceartion2incarceraiton2incarcerasion1incarceratino2
Edit distance from "incarceration"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "incarceration"?
"incarceration" is spelled I-N-C-A-R-C-E-R-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪŋˌkɑː(ɹ)səˈɹeɪʃən/.
What does "incarceration" mean?
As a noun, "incarceration" means: The act of confining, or the state of being confined; imprisonment.
What are common misspellings of "incarceration"?
Common misspellings include "icnarceration", "inacrceration", "incacreration", "incarcceration", "incarceartion". The correct spelling is "incarceration".
How do you pronounce "incarceration"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "incarceration" is /ɪŋˌkɑː(ɹ)səˈɹeɪʃən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "incarceration"?
From Medieval Latin incarcerātiō. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "incarceration", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 13 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

modernization#18,137dysfunctional#18,064supplementary#18,199complimentary#18,273

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (20 here; floor ≥5).

geographically20 variantsinterpersonal20 variantsreimbursement20 variantsspontaneously20 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list