as in care
responsibility for the safety and well-being of someone or something
the government department having custody of all official state gifts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of custody
He could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison, and has been in custody since August 2024.
—
Philipp Jenne, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Talley fled the scene after the shooting, and officers later recovered a weapon when he was taken into custody, according to police.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Farwell, who appeared in court in a tan prison uniform Tuesday, has been in custody since he was arrested in August of 2024.
—Neal Riley, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
Chasing Horse was taken into custody in 2023 after Las Vegas police executed a search warrant at his home.
—Sean Mandell, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for custody
Philipp Jenne, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Talley fled the scene after the shooting, and officers later recovered a weapon when he was taken into custody, according to police.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Farwell, who appeared in court in a tan prison uniform Tuesday, has been in custody since he was arrested in August of 2024.
—Neal Riley, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
Chasing Horse was taken into custody in 2023 after Las Vegas police executed a search warrant at his home.
—Sean Mandell, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for custody
Recent Examples of Synonyms for custody
Noun
-
Detroit failed to take care of the ball when the Magic scored 23 points off 20 takeaways.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Older adults tend to begin treatment within a month of symptoms starting — but young adults face an average seven-month delay before getting care.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There are significant legal barriers to reunification once a child is placed in state custody, said Juan Guzman, director of children’s court and guardianship at the Alliance for Children’s Rights, a legal advocacy organization in Los Angeles.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
-
There are significant legal barriers to reunification once a child is placed in state custody, said Juan Guzman, director of children’s court and guardianship at the Alliance for Children’s Rights, a legal advocacy organization in Los Angeles.—
Kff Health News,
Oc Register,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Still, Washington’s custodianship has loosened the grip of hardliners.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Regular audits, transparent reporting and strong custodianship build long-term investor confidence.—
Charles Morey,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Fiber-optic drones are not piloted via, for example, GPS signals or radio control.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Why mosquito control matters beyond the bites For most gardeners, mosquitoes are about comfort — or the lack of it.—
Ryan Brennan,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The planes were loaded up and the HEU was flown back to the United States, taken to a Department of Energy complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, for safekeeping.—
Cecilia Vega,
CBS News,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Pro Tip: Keep sentimental items in a memory box for safekeeping.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Custody.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/custody. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
