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
President Donald Trump was on his way to South Florida on Tuesday morning to visit a Florida-run immigration detention center deep in the Everglades that is supposed to be ready to house hundreds of detainees.
—
Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
Remote hearings further complicate the process, with detainees appearing before a judge over a screen and relying on phone or video interpretation.
—Renata Daou, Hartford Courant, 30 June 2025
But even among those with criminal convictions — about 40% of detainees since Jan. 20 — the majority were not for violent offenses.
—Julia Ingram, CBS News, 30 June 2025
The site includes soft-sided holding units for hundreds of detainees through a partnership in which the federal government will provide the funding.
—Julia Manchester, The Hill, 30 June 2025
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Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
Remote hearings further complicate the process, with detainees appearing before a judge over a screen and relying on phone or video interpretation.
—Renata Daou, Hartford Courant, 30 June 2025
But even among those with criminal convictions — about 40% of detainees since Jan. 20 — the majority were not for violent offenses.
—Julia Ingram, CBS News, 30 June 2025
The site includes soft-sided holding units for hundreds of detainees through a partnership in which the federal government will provide the funding.
—Julia Manchester, The Hill, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for detainee
Cite this Entry
“Detainee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detainee. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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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