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

In the past, people like Calderón with pending USCIS applications or immigration court cases weren't priorities for detention. — Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 15 Aug. 2026

Hana reported that plainclothes agents confiscated phones and electronic equipment and that Seyedabdollahi was subsequently held in solitary confinement and at an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps intelligence detention facility in Isfahan. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026

His wannabe Robocops launch indiscriminate raids, operate detention facilities under conditions out of a Dickens novel and regularly don face masks to hide their identities. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026

According to Human Rights Watch, Taliban security forces responded with beatings, shots into the crowd, detentions of protesters, and the killing of at least one boy. — Rina Amiri, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 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