detainer
noun
de·tain·er
di-ˈtā-nər 
1
: the act of keeping something in one's possession
specifically
: the withholding from the rightful owner of something that has lawfully come into the possession of the holder
2
: detention in custody
3
: a writ authorizing the keeper of a prison to continue to hold a person in custody
Examples of detainer in a Sentence
keep him in detainer for at least 72 hours
she filed an action for unlawful detainer of land after nonpayment of rent
Recent Examples on the Web
He has been charged with misdemeanor discharge of a firearm in the city, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed a detainer on him for pending deportation, according to court documents.
—
Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2026
According to the lawsuit, Connecticut has honored less than 20% of the civil immigration detainers issued by the federal government since 2020.
—Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 14 Apr. 2026
Afterward, Moore issued three directives clarifying that state and local agencies may still cooperate with ICE on criminal matters and immigration detainers.
—Jeff Barker, Baltimore Sun, 13 Apr. 2026
The Honduran national is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action and is being held without bond on a federal immigration detainer.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detainer
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.
Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2026
According to the lawsuit, Connecticut has honored less than 20% of the civil immigration detainers issued by the federal government since 2020.
—Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 14 Apr. 2026
Afterward, Moore issued three directives clarifying that state and local agencies may still cooperate with ICE on criminal matters and immigration detainers.
—Jeff Barker, Baltimore Sun, 13 Apr. 2026
The Honduran national is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action and is being held without bond on a federal immigration detainer.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detainer
Cite this Entry
“Detainer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detainer. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
detainer
noun
de·tain·er
di-ˈtā-nər
1
: the act of keeping something in one's possession
specifically
: unlawful detainer
2
: detention in custody
3
: a notification sent by a prosecutor, judge, or other official advising a prison official that a prisoner is wanted to answer criminal charges and requesting continued detention of the prisoner or notification of the prisoner's impending release compare extradition
Etymology
Anglo-French detenoure, from detenir to restrain, detain, from Old French, from Latin detinere
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
