detainee

noun

de·​tain·​ee di-ˌtā-ˈnē How to pronounce detainee (audio)
ˌdē-
: a person held in custody especially for political reasons

Examples of detainee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some of the money to operate the temporary jail could come from the amounts the city now pays Vernon and Johnson counties to house detainees. Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 15 May 2025 The investigation, announced Tuesday, names the County of San Diego, which operates both facilities through its probation department, and the San Diego County Office of Education, which provides educational services to young detainees. Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2025 Another former detainee told me that Israeli officials warned her not to leave her house or she could be arrested again. Lynzy Billing, The Dial, 6 May 2025 The Trump administration initially used the act to transfer Venezuelan detainees to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for detainee

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1928, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of detainee was circa 1928

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Cite this Entry

“Detainee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detainee. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Legal Definition

detainee

noun
de·​tain·​ee di-ˌtā-ˈnē How to pronounce detainee (audio)
: a person who is detained
especially : a person held in custody prior to trial or hearing

More from Merriam-Webster on detainee

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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