detainee
noun
de·tain·ee
di-ˌtā-ˈnē 
ˌdē-
: a person held in custody especially for political reasons
Examples of detainee in a Sentence
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In a press conference on Tuesday, DeSantis told reporters that Alligator Alcatraz was still operational, but the Department of Homeland Security had not been sending in new detainees.
—
Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
The Supreme Court ruled in April that challenges to removal under the law must be brought in the federal judicial districts where detainees are being held.
—Jan Wolfe, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Four times in early summer, its detainee count hit double-digits.
—Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Critics—who include Democrats, civil rights groups and environmentalists—have said detainees at the facility are forced to endure unsafe, unsanitary and inhumane living conditions and that Alligator Alcatraz defies environmental laws.
—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
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Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
The Supreme Court ruled in April that challenges to removal under the law must be brought in the federal judicial districts where detainees are being held.
—Jan Wolfe, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Four times in early summer, its detainee count hit double-digits.
—Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Critics—who include Democrats, civil rights groups and environmentalists—have said detainees at the facility are forced to endure unsafe, unsanitary and inhumane living conditions and that Alligator Alcatraz defies environmental laws.
—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 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 10 Sep. 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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