DETAINMENTS Synonyms: 45 Similar and Opposite Words

detainments

noun

plural of detainment

as in delays

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 imprisonments

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 detainments 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 The detainments would also be very temporary, would only be during the building's office hours, and no one would be detained overnight. — Dennis Valera, CBS News, 3 June 2026 Immigration sweeps peaked in Orange County’s most populous city last summer with at least 30 detainments between mid-June and mid-September, including when federal officers descended several times on car washes and a Home Depot, ending in several deportations. — Victoria Le, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026 Hefets’ detainments were part of a national policy toward antisemitism, defined over decades in the shadow of the Holocaust and sharpened recently under the helm of Felix Klein, the first federal commissioner for combating antisemitism. — Shira Li Bartov, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026 Kim is the executive director of Minnesota Voice, a progressive nonprofit dedicated to voter registration, civic engagement and training community organizers, and took a visible role organizing against Immigration end Customs Enforcement detainments during Operation Metro Surge. — Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 4 Mar. 2026 The singer’s tour stop in Minnesota doubled as a benefit concert for Minneapolis nonprofit The Advocates for Human Rights, which has been working to support families affected by ICE’s arrests, detainments and deportations in the city. — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 23 Feb. 2026 Many of the students who have participated in school walkouts have cited deep personal concerns about how ICE's operations could result in wrongful detainments or violence in their communities. — Cate Charron, IndyStar, 19 Feb. 2026 The Lawrence Police Department did not confirm the detainments. — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 17 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for detainments

Noun

Thunderstorms caused flight delays at New York City area airports on Saturday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
The downpours contributed to flight delays and cancellations at LaGuardia, Kennedy and Newark airports on the eve of the World Cup final match in New Jersey on Sunday.

— Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

Definition of delays

Noun

More people know about arbitrary arrests and imprisonments.

— Nick Miller, New York Times, 30 May 2026
Darling pointed to recent high profile imprisonments of Baha’i cousins Peyvand Naimi and Borna Naimi, who have undergone torture to force confessions and face possible death sentences.

— Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 1 May 2026

Definition of imprisonments

Noun

Earlier this year, long elevator waits meant many collectors reached the upper floors well after the VIP opening began, leaving some exhibitors with a slower start than those surrounding the pool.

— Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 14 July 2026
However, by the end of the night, the streets surrounding the Presidio and Marina neighborhoods became gridlocked as thousands of commuters attempted to leave the area, resulting in hours-long waits.

— Noe Padilla, USA Today, 10 July 2026

Definition of waits

Noun

His protests and hunger strikes were a source of frustration to officials and led to multiple detentions.

— Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Iran did not immediately acknowledge the release, and her case was not publicly known, as sometimes happens with detentions in the Islamic Republic.

— Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026

Definition of detentions

Noun

One 2025 study found that these waivers may be tied to fewer hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and incarcerations among adults with serious mental illness.

— Helen Santoro, Denver Post, 29 June 2026
Despite their felony convictions and impending incarcerations, both former Met police career criminals continue to collect their monthly kisses in the mail — $8,850 a month for Cederquist and $6,020 for Butner.

— Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026

Definition of incarcerations

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“Detainments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detainments. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of detainments

noun

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