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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of detention
While immigration detentions and other operations at the facility will continue as the legal process moves ahead, the question of who is in charge at the center is important.
—
Greg Allen, NPR, 14 Aug. 2025
The Santa Rosa Police Department responded just after 7 p.m. on Aug. 10, to a 911 call made by a neighbor of Mari Bonnici, a detention specialist with the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department, at an apartment complex in Santa Rosa, the department wrote on Facebook.
—Ben Brachfeld, People.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Jackson has been ordered detained, and Wallace and Hughes-Murchison will have detention hearings later this week, prosecutors said.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Mother and son remain held in Middlesex County Jail in New Jersey pending a Friday detention hearing.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detention
Greg Allen, NPR, 14 Aug. 2025
The Santa Rosa Police Department responded just after 7 p.m. on Aug. 10, to a 911 call made by a neighbor of Mari Bonnici, a detention specialist with the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department, at an apartment complex in Santa Rosa, the department wrote on Facebook.
—Ben Brachfeld, People.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Jackson has been ordered detained, and Wallace and Hughes-Murchison will have detention hearings later this week, prosecutors said.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Mother and son remain held in Middlesex County Jail in New Jersey pending a Friday detention hearing.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detention
Noun
-
The manager keeps coming up with new delays and excuses why this basic amenity has been ignored.—
Ticked Off,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 Aug. 2025
-
Any delay in treatment could put the patient at risk of a flare-up or lead to the formation of antibodies that make future infusions less effective.—
Samuel Ganz,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Some of the factors include time served in prison, their education level before and during incarceration, and the gravity of the offense.—
Taylor Romine,
CNN Money,
16 Aug. 2025
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In addition to exercising and working as a custodian, Chris has corresponded with multiple women during his incarceration.—
Liam Quinn,
People.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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In fact, as reported by The Lund Report, 30% of patients have left an appointment due to long waits, and 20% have switched doctors for the same reason.—
Ankit Kumar Agarwal,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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Besides helping families, the program aims to reduce wait times in standard security lines, which are averaging 10 minutes or less, Silata said.—
Skyler Swisher,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detention. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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