Synonyms of detention

detention

noun

di-ˈten-chən 

1

as in imprisonment

the state of being held in lawful custody

he's been in detention since the arrest

Synonyms & Similar Words

• imprisonment
• incarceration
• captivity
• confinement
• internment
• detainment
• detainer
• arrest
• hold
• immurement
• seizure
• apprehension
• collar
• capture
• restraint
• arrestment
• entrapment
• pinch
• bust
• enchainment

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• discharge
• release
• freedom
• liberation
• emancipation

2

as in delay

an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business

the detention at the airport security checkpoint was brief, but because he was running late, it caused him to miss his flight

Synonyms & Similar Words

• delay
• wait
• holdup
• detainment
• postponement
• deferral
• deferment
• setback
• respite
• holding pattern
• pause
• hesitation
• holdback
• lag
• slowdown
• reprieve
• foot-dragging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rush
• haste
• dispatch
• promptness
• promptitude

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of detention

That broader approach is reflected in ICE’s detention population nationwide. — María Luisa Paúl, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

Kulkarni said their current priorities are to keep Bondonga from being relocated and adjudicating her green card application while also pushing her team's habeas corpus application forward, attempting to prove her detention unlawful. — Ruby Grisin, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Sep. 2026

Ankle monitors are usually issued because of a lack of detention space for more than 300,000 Haitians who lost TPS after the Supreme Court decision in June, a senior Department of Homeland Security official has said. — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026

Wetlands differ from the retention or detention ponds located around some developments because wetland soils allow water to infiltrate and replenish the groundwater. — Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 31 Aug. 2026