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
In April, Mamdani announced detainees with complicated medical needs will be transferred to Bellevue Hospital in Kips Bay.
—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
Food was sometimes served partially frozen, and detainees reported finding worms in meals.
—
Laura Rodríguez Presa,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2026
Israel has historically negotiated with Palestinian militant groups to exchange hostages for Palestinian prisoners and detainees even as critics warned the practice could encourage more kidnappings.
—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
Since the facility opened, detainees and their families have complained of mistreatment and torture.
—
Miami Herald,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for detainee
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.
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
Food was sometimes served partially frozen, and detainees reported finding worms in meals.
—
Laura Rodríguez Presa,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2026
Israel has historically negotiated with Palestinian militant groups to exchange hostages for Palestinian prisoners and detainees even as critics warned the practice could encourage more kidnappings.
—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
Since the facility opened, detainees and their families have complained of mistreatment and torture.
—
Miami Herald,
26 June 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 4 Jul. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
