1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of detainments
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
The detainments have broadly affected the staff and students in her district.
—Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
The Statesman has reached out to Hays County, Buda and Kyle officials for information on any other potential detainments.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 15 Jan. 2026
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
The detainments have broadly affected the staff and students in her district.
—Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
The Statesman has reached out to Hays County, Buda and Kyle officials for information on any other potential detainments.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detainments
Noun
-
The police department, posting on the social platform X, advised travelers in the morning to avoid the area due to a police investigation and to expect delays and heavy traffic.—
Julie Walker,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The police department, posting on the social media site X, had urged travelers to avoid the area Saturday morning due to a police investigation and to expect delays and heavy traffic.—
Julie Walker,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In Acts, the disciple Paul endures several imprisonments, turning to God for strength and divine intervention.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Lusverti added that the list of beneficiaries fails to cover key periods of arbitrary detentions, including cases between 2020 and 2024, and raised concerns that the same courts that ordered the imprisonments are now responsible for administering the amnesty.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Republicans and Democrats asked Edlow about growing waits for people to get an answer on their work permits or naturalization application.—
Ximena Bustillo,
NPR,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The dominant chick will tend to eat first while the smaller chick waits or comes up with creative ways to get their food, like walking around or waiting until the bigger chicks go into a food coma.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch denounced a sustained crackdown on dissent under Talon, citing arbitrary detentions, tighter restrictions on public demonstrations and mounting pressure on independent media outlets.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Once a technically complicated legal rarity used to challenge improper incarcerations, habeas corpus petitions have become the predominant avenue for immigrants seeking release from detentions that increasingly end only with a deportation order.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Once a technically complicated legal rarity used to challenge improper incarcerations, habeas corpus petitions have become the predominant avenue for immigrants seeking release from detentions that increasingly end only with a deportation order.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 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
Cite this Entry
“Detainments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detainments. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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