detainee
noun
de·tain·ee
di-ˌtā-ˈnē 
ˌdē-
: a person held in custody especially for political reasons
Examples of detainee in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The detainees—from Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Myanmar and eight other nations—were found in restricted compounds, some lacking passports or proper immigration documentation.
—
Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Joshua Jahn, 29, killed a detainee, injured two others and fatally shot himself.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Organizers framed the demonstration as part of a larger national push to stop ICE from using warehouse-style facilities to house detainees.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
Visitors are separated from detainees by glass barriers.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026
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Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Joshua Jahn, 29, killed a detainee, injured two others and fatally shot himself.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Organizers framed the demonstration as part of a larger national push to stop ICE from using warehouse-style facilities to house detainees.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
Visitors are separated from detainees by glass barriers.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detainee
Cite this Entry
“Detainee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detainee. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
detainee
noun
de·tain·ee
di-ˌtā-ˈnē
: a person who is detained
especially
: a person held in custody prior to trial or hearing
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