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

But internal oversight offices at the agency are unfunded, including those that specifically investigated complaints about immigration detention conditions such as allegations about insufficient access to medical care. — Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 20 June 2026

Owing to several conditions—new vetting procedures, ICE arrests of sponsors going through that vetting, and lack of access to lawyers (waitlists for pro-bono counsel are in the thousands)—a child’s average length of detention jumped to four months in 2025, up from just one month the year before. — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 20 June 2026

Last week, Abu Safiya appeared by video link for a hearing before the Israel Supreme Court in Jerusalem to appeal his detention. — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 20 June 2026

Busfield was released from custody one week later following a pretrial detention hearing in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 19 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