1
as in imprisonment
the state of being held in lawful custody
he's been in detention since the arrest
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of detention
Of about 700 girls who were either placed in a detention facility or under the supervision of juvenile probation in 2024, just over half were found to have significant mental health needs, the report found.
—
Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 14 Apr. 2026
In Oregon, as of February two children had been placed in foster care after being separated from their parents in immigration detention cases, according to Jake Sunderland, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Human Services.
—Kff Health News, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026
He was ordered held pending the charges at a detention hearing on Saturday.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Bahamian law allows for a 48-hour detention in jail without charging someone with a crime.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detention
Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 14 Apr. 2026
In Oregon, as of February two children had been placed in foster care after being separated from their parents in immigration detention cases, according to Jake Sunderland, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Human Services.
—Kff Health News, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026
He was ordered held pending the charges at a detention hearing on Saturday.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Bahamian law allows for a 48-hour detention in jail without charging someone with a crime.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detention
Noun
-
There are countless cases in which federal courts found harsh and inadequate conditions of imprisonment that violate the Constitution.—
Erwin Chemerinsky,
Mercury News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Tarrio was notably sentenced to the longest term of imprisonment among all of the nearly 1,600 individuals charged in connection with the attack.—
Alexander Mallin,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Plane outlets are often slow, loose, or even nonexistent, and when delays stack up, a dead phone becomes a real problem—not just an inconvenience.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Apr. 2026
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The lanes are shut down on the Palmetto between 58th and 36th streeets, causing major delays and backups.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
More than 700 defendants completed their sentences or did not receive sentences of incarceration.—
Jacob Rosen,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Tracie Bernardi Guzman, founder of Reentry Solutions CT, an organization that supports individuals returning from incarceration, said relationships and mentorship are important from the first day girls enter the system.—
Emilia Otte,
Hartford Courant,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Cabbies said a 10-year wait for a fare hike was far too long, and the increase is too small, considering gas prices are up and minimum wages for other workers have been better cared for.—
Chris Tye,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Other times, the long wait for permanent housing proves demoralizing.—
Andrew Khouri,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detention. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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