custody

noun

ˈkə-stə-dē How to pronounce custody (audio)
Definition of custodynext
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

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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 has since been transferred to federal custody after receiving treatment at a hospital, according to CNN affiliate WABC. — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026 The Man Selling The Middle Tanguma spent years inside the custody industry before starting Onramp, most recently at the collaborative-custody firm Unchained Capital. — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 But the crackdown also suspended constitutional protections, leading to mass detention without due process and hundreds of deaths in custody. — Robert Muggah, The Conversation, 10 Aug. 2026 Deputies posed as minors 13 or younger on various online platforms and lured suspects to a local hotel, where they were taken into custody. — Sacbee.com, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for custody
Recent Examples of Synonyms for custody
  1. care
  2. guardianship
  3. custodianship
  4. control
  5. safekeeping
Noun
  • Guests with specific needs can coordinate directly with the front desk, which will handle any request with genuine care.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The Korean skin-care brand shot to fame with its Wrinkle Bounce Multi Balm, a chunky pink stick that became nearly as recognizable for its K-drama cameos as for its skin-care benefits.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of care
Noun
  • Once under Russian control, many Ukrainian children were transferred into Russian institutions or placed under guardianship or adopted, making reunification with their families increasingly difficult.
    — Thom Reilly, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The law will also allow parents to pre-arrange guardianship for their children in case they're detained by ICE or deported, Healey said.
    — Anna Meiler, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of guardianship
Noun
  • Today, Bacon Hole — a cave carved into limestone cliffs overlooking the Bristol Channel — is under the custodianship of the National Trust Wales, which, together with the Bradshaw Foundation, has funded scientific research at the site.
    — Elmira Aliieva, NBC news, 1 June 2026
  • Still, Washington’s custodianship has loosened the grip of hardliners.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Definition of custodianship
Noun
  • Temperature control requires some attention, as the trailers can heat up quickly in direct sunlight and cool dramatically after dark.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Virna Jandiroba just took her down nine times and didn’t do much with that top control.
    — Brett Appley, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of control
Noun
  • The company also managed to ship the blueprints for Schlumberger’s many inventions to Texas, for safekeeping, out of German hands.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 24 July 2026
  • So, the bathroom is definitely not the place to keep any home videos for safekeeping.
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 17 June 2026
Definition of safekeeping

Browse Nearby Words

custodies
custody
custom
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Cite this Entry

“Custody.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/custody. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on custody

Nglish: Translation of custody for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about custody

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