DETAINMENT Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

detainment

noun

Definition of detainment

as in delay

an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business the returning vacationers' detainment at the border only lasted a few minutes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in detention

the state of being held in lawful custody she'll be kept in detainment until the trial if she can't post bail

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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 detainment However, detainments by federal agents have continued in the area. — Sabrina Franza, CBS News, 7 Sep. 2026 Hernandez’s lawyer declined to comment Thursday on his detainment. — Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026 Reporters from Noozhawk and KEYT were among those detained, and both outlets published articles detailing the detainment. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026 The legislation came after Lee, Deluzio and Dean conducted visits to Moshannon Valley Processing Facility earlier this year, the Northeast's largest immigration detainment facility. — Finch Walker, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026 Xinjiang is home to many Uyghurs, a Muslim minority that the Chinese government has subjected to surveillance, forced labor and detainment in concentration camps. — Hailey Wang, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 In June, Brittney and Cherelle opened up to PEOPLE about how Brittney’s detainment derailed their plans of starting a family. — Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026 Forbes removed Prince Alwaleed from its billionaire ranks in 2018 following his monthslong detainment by the Saudi government in 2017, before he and other Saudis were included again in 2025. — Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 Chicagoans blew whistles and filmed detainments while immigration agents patrolled neighborhoods with military-grade weapons as part of Operation Midway Blitz. — Alex Poppe, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for detainment

Noun

Patience is the ability to remain calm and accept delays, difficulties, or annoyance without complaining or becoming angry.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
But last year, there were 71,500 school bus delays, with nearly 100 families filing complaints each day, according to Councilman Lincoln Restler (D-Brooklyn), whose office drafted a recent bill on the issue.

— Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of delay

Noun

In her interview with AP, Mohammadi -- who has been jailed repeatedly over decades of advocating for human rights and was behind bars when she was awarded the Nobel Prize -- described her most recent arrest, detention and health.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026
But immigration attorneys say release may simply mean continuing court proceedings outside detention before deportation.

— Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of detention

Noun

Home shoppers holding out for relief from rising mortgage rates may be in for a long wait.

— Alex Veiga, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
In Florence, locals will bemoan the lines at All'Antico Vinaio, because there are so many other incredible focaccia sandwich shops around that don't require a wait.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of wait

Noun

Habeas corpus, which allows a defendant to challenge the legality of their imprisonment, is among several mechanisms for release, some of which depend on a detainee’s location.

— Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
His subjects are voluntary members of the American elite who were at no risk of imprisonment or impoverishment.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of imprisonment

Noun

The type of purge now synonymous with the actions of Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union aims at eliminating someone from the party, whether through incarceration, exile, or death.

— ANDREW MERTHA, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2026
Launching October 14, the doc follows the pursuit of journalists alongside the survivors who speak out, charting Glitter’s 1997 conviction, through to his years on the run, and eventual incarceration.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of incarceration

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detainment

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“Detainment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detainment. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of detainment

noun

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