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
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 this case, the teen will remain in juvenile detention for around 18 to 30 months.
—
Conor Wight, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Tasked with the arrest, detention and removal of undocumented immigrants, ICE deportation officers were previously required to complete 20 weeks, or roughly 100 days, of training before beginning their official duties.
—Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
Clearing snow by day and freeing students in immigration detention by night is just a day in the life for New York City's new mayor.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
The protests are in reaction to the New York Times report that identified Cabarrus County as one of 21 places where the federal government has or is considering purchasing a warehouse to convert into an immigration detention facility.
—Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detention
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Conor Wight, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Tasked with the arrest, detention and removal of undocumented immigrants, ICE deportation officers were previously required to complete 20 weeks, or roughly 100 days, of training before beginning their official duties.
—Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
Clearing snow by day and freeing students in immigration detention by night is just a day in the life for New York City's new mayor.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
The protests are in reaction to the New York Times report that identified Cabarrus County as one of 21 places where the federal government has or is considering purchasing a warehouse to convert into an immigration detention facility.
—Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detention
Cite this Entry
“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detention. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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