1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detainment
Noun
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Trump in his Saturday letters to von der Leyen and Sheinbaum announced a 30 percent tariff rate on goods imported into the U.S. beginning Aug. 1, after an initial 90-day pause and deadline delay lapses on the import taxes.—
Steff Danielle Thomas,
The Hill,
12 July 2025 -
Elite performances have been on display, but much of the spotlight has been on delays caused by heatwaves and lightning storms, welfare concerns from coaches and players, attendance figures and questions around commercial integrity.—
Claire Poole,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
Noun
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The Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times has obtained a list of more than 700 people who have been detained or appear to be scheduled to be sent to the Florida-run immigration detention facility known as Alligator Alcatraz.—
Ana Ceballos,
Miami Herald,
13 July 2025
-
Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia graduate and pro-Palestinian activist just released from ICE detention, was in the front row.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
13 July 2025
Noun
-
Across the United States, the average wait time is 48 days between when a patient initially contacts a provider for mental healthcare and their first appointment.—
Amanda Marlar,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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That's a stark contrast from typical wait times for a new patient appointment at other types of clinics, which can average more than a month.—
Sarah Volpenhein,
jsonline.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
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The divorced father of three said he was detained in 2013 following an incarceration for violating probation related to a drug offense.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
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This panel will examine mass incarceration through multiple lenses and how the criminal justice system serves as a point of crisis of public health, black wealth building, voter disenfranchisement, and family structure.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Detainment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detainment. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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