detention center
noun
1
: a place where people who have entered a country illegally are kept for a period of time
2
: a place where people who have committed crimes are kept as punishment
She spent several months in a detention center for women.
a juvenile detention center
Examples of detention center in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Under the blue skies of the Florida Everglades, dozens of protesters, sheltering from the sun under blue canopies, gathered outside the gates of Alligator Alcatraz on Friday to commemorate International Labor Day by calling for the shutdown of the controversial detention center.
—
Churchill Ndonwie
may 2, Miami Herald, 2 May 2026
While the Federal Bureau of Prisons has said there are no plans to reopen FCI Dublin, local officials are concerned it could be repurposed as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center and processing facility.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 2 May 2026
After being handcuffed and taken to the juvenile detention center, another copy of the fake ID was located in Lindsey’s wallet.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
He was sent to a detention center in Kern County, and his lawyer filed a demand for his release, known as a habeas corpus petition, in federal court in Sacramento in March.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for detention center
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Churchill Ndonwie
may 2, Miami Herald, 2 May 2026
While the Federal Bureau of Prisons has said there are no plans to reopen FCI Dublin, local officials are concerned it could be repurposed as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center and processing facility.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 2 May 2026
After being handcuffed and taken to the juvenile detention center, another copy of the fake ID was located in Lindsey’s wallet.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
He was sent to a detention center in Kern County, and his lawyer filed a demand for his release, known as a habeas corpus petition, in federal court in Sacramento in March.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for detention center
Cite this Entry
“Detention center.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detention%20center. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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