detention

noun

de·​ten·​tion di-ˈten-chən 

1

: the act or fact of detaining or holding back

especially : a holding in custody

the detention of suspects

2

: the state of being detained

Some protesters were held in detention.

especially : a period of temporary custody prior to disposition by a court

3

: a punishment in which a student is required to stay at school for a period of time beyond normal class hours

Synonyms of detention

• imprisonment
• incarceration

Examples of detention in a Sentence

the detention of suspected terrorists

The jail is only used for brief detentions.

They both got three detentions this year.

He got detention for being late to class.

Recent Examples on the Web

Council Vice President Red Stone, R-1st, asked how the department planned to advertise this resource to families and Cox explained the therapist will only be available to the juvenile detention population. — Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026

Rafael Rubio joined council members Saturday to talk about his experience at the Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark, New Jersey. — Christine Sloan, CBS News, 27 June 2026

Immigration rights groups have raised concerns about civil liberties and detention conditions. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 27 June 2026

Arnold is scheduled to appear at a pretrial detention hearing Monday, when the state is expected to argue he should be denied bail. — Bob Wojnowski, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English detencion, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin detention-, detentio, from detinēre to detain

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing detention

• detention center
• detention home
• in detention

Rhymes for detention

• attention
• contention
• convention
• declension
• dimension
• dissension
• distension
• extension
• intension
• invention
• laurentian
• prehension

Kids Definition

detention

noun

de·​ten·​tion di-ˈten-chən 

: the act of detaining : the state of being detained: as

a

: temporary custody before a trial

b

: the punishment of being kept in after school

Legal Definition

detention

noun

de·​ten·​tion

1

: the act or fact of detaining or holding back

especially : a holding in custody

2

: the state of being detained

especially : a period of temporary custody prior to a trial or hearing see also preventive detention