In the following question, select the option that is opposite in meaning to the given word: Incarcerate (to imprison).

Introduction / Context:
This vocabulary question asks for the antonym of incarcerate. Incarcerate is a formal verb meaning to put someone in prison or otherwise confine them. To find the opposite, we must look for a word that expresses freeing someone from such confinement. Knowing legal and formal verbs like incarcerate and their opposites helps with reading news articles and legal passages.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Incarcerate means to imprison or to lock someone up.
• Release means to set someone free from confinement, obligation, or restraint.
• Confine means to keep someone within limits or a restricted space.
• Detain means to keep someone in official custody, especially for questioning.
• Commit can mean to send someone to a prison or mental institution, among other meanings.

Concept / Approach:
Because incarcerate is about putting someone into prison, its opposite must be about letting that person out of prison or custody. Release is the only option that explicitly means setting someone free. Confine, detain, and commit all share the idea of keeping someone under control or in custody, which is similar or related to incarcerate, not opposite. Therefore, release is the correct antonym in this set.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Fix the meaning of incarcerate as to imprison or lock up.Step 2: Look for a word that reverses this action by freeing the person from prison or custody.Step 3: Evaluate release and confirm that it means to set free from confinement or to let go.Step 4: Evaluate confine and see that it actually means to restrict or limit movement, which mirrors incarceration rather than opposing it.Step 5: Evaluate detain and commit; both involve keeping someone in custody or sending them to an institution, again aligning with incarceration. Thus, release is the clear opposite.

Verification / Alternative check:
Consider simple legal-sounding sentences. The court decided to incarcerate the suspect describes sending the suspect to prison. The court decided to release the suspect describes letting the suspect go free. These two actions are straightforward opposites. Saying The court decided to confine or detain the suspect does not oppose incarceration; it describes related restraint. Similarly, commit can be used in phrases like commit someone to prison or to a psychiatric facility, which clearly goes in the same direction as incarcerate.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Confine emphasises restriction of movement, keeping someone within bounds. Detain focuses on holding someone, often temporarily, such as in police custody. Commit suggests placing someone in an institution by official order. All three maintain or increase control over the person and do not express any idea of setting them free. Therefore, none of them can be considered antonyms of incarcerate.

Common Pitfalls:
Some students might quickly eliminate release because it feels too simple compared to the more formal-sounding words. However, vocabulary questions often pair a formal word with a simple, clear opposite. Another pitfall is not reading the full options closely and choosing confine, thinking it is related and therefore somehow correct. The key is to remember that antonym means opposite in meaning, not just related in the same domain.

Final Answer:
The word that is opposite in meaning to incarcerate is Release, so option A is correct.