detainee

noun

Definition of detaineenext
as in defendant

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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 detainee Their detainee was naked from the waist down and had just been persuaded to put on some pants. — Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 20 July 2026 In California, the immigrant detainee population in California grew by 162% between 2023 and 2025. — Albinson Linares, NBC news, 18 July 2026 Andrews remains in custody at the Kane County jail, Kane County detainee records show. — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026 Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated Chen as a wrongful detainee in March. — ABC News, 14 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for detainee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detainee
  1. defendant
  2. arrestee
  3. offender
  4. suspect
  5. fish
  6. criminal
Noun
  • Marcee Gray, the defendant’s estranged wife, testified their son was riddled with anxiety, easily agitated and had panic attacks.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • An appeal, on the other hand, can only consider evidence that’s already in the record and is typically filed when a defendant is questioning a judge’s decision.
    — Alex Brizee July 30, Idaho Statesman, 30 July 2026
Definition of defendant
Noun
  • McCoy is not the only arrestee to have died in custody in recent years while wrongly held by the Sheriff’s Office.
    — Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026
  • The sheriff's office said among the arrestees was former Republican congressional candidate for House District 30, Sholdon Daniels.
    — Briauna Brown, CBS News, 10 June 2026
Definition of arrestee
Noun
  • Sehnaoui's meeting with the Israeli leader occurred as some in Lebanon have called for abolishing a 1955 law that bans dealing with Israel or having contacts with Israelis and punishes offenders with up to 10 years in jail.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026
  • Because of his previous felonies, though none for violent crimes, Pfister could now be defined as a habitual offender under Michigan law and faces prison.
    — Kyung Lah, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Definition of offender
Noun
  • The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Jeanine John Taele, was spotted by plainclothes federal agents who observed odd behavior and subsequently contacted the Lomita Sheriff Department deputies.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Aug. 2026
  • At the time of his arrest authorities also determined that Taele was a suspect in a robbery case being investigated by the El Segundo Police Department.
    — Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of suspect
Noun
  • The heat has also caused mass losses of livestock since late May, with more than 493,000 animals having died, including pigs, poultry, and fish, according to South Korean authorities.
    — Yumi Asada, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The fish itself is shiny silver with vertical yellow stripes, so Sinot applied a shimmery silver shadow to Larsson's lids and added a bright canary yellow color to her inner corners and under her lower lashline.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of fish
Noun
  • More than a year earlier, Arlington, Massachusetts sent four straight monthly payments totaling $446,000 to a criminal who had impersonated a real vendor and asked to switch from paper checks to electronic transfer.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Do not ignore a small charge because criminals sometimes use minor transactions to test an account.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of criminal

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detained
detainee
detainees
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Cite this Entry

“Detainee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detainee. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on detainee

Nglish: Translation of detainee for Spanish Speakers

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