What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
detention
Example
The student was given detention for being late to class. [detention: noun]
Example
The police officer detained the suspect for questioning. [detained: verb]
incarceration
Example
The judge sentenced the criminal to life incarceration. [incarceration: noun]
Example
The prisoner was incarcerated for ten years for his crime. [incarcerated: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Detention is more commonly used in everyday language, especially in educational settings, while incarceration is more commonly used in legal and criminal justice contexts.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between detention and incarceration?
Incarceration is a more formal term than detention, which is often used in informal and educational settings.
