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
Dozens of Cuban detainees being held at the Krome detention center launched a protest Thursday morning inside the immigration facility in southwest Miami-Dade, saying they are fed up with prolonged detention.
—
Claire Healy, Miami Herald, 5 June 2025
More immigration news: A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to provide hundreds of migrants sent to a maximum security prison in El Salvador with opportunities to challenge their detentions and removals under the Alien Enemies Act.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 5 June 2025
Bryant’s decision comes as a major victory for Leavenworth two weeks after U.S. District Court Judge Toby Crouse threw out the city’s lawsuit, rejecting a similar request to block detentions until CoreCivic obtained permission to operate.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2025
He was scheduled to appear at a detention hearing Saturday.
—Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for detention
Claire Healy, Miami Herald, 5 June 2025
More immigration news: A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to provide hundreds of migrants sent to a maximum security prison in El Salvador with opportunities to challenge their detentions and removals under the Alien Enemies Act.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 5 June 2025
Bryant’s decision comes as a major victory for Leavenworth two weeks after U.S. District Court Judge Toby Crouse threw out the city’s lawsuit, rejecting a similar request to block detentions until CoreCivic obtained permission to operate.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2025
He was scheduled to appear at a detention hearing Saturday.
—Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for detention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detention
Noun
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After a brief rain delay in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Hurricanes again couldn’t string together any hits to cut into the Cardinals’ lead.—
Cameron Priester,
Sun Sentinel,
7 June 2025
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Initial delays were caused by a five-year closing process, which came to an end in 2023.—
Desiree Mathurin,
Charlotte Observer,
6 June 2025
Noun
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Smith's journey from incarceration to entrepreneurship and advocacy serves as a testament to the power of redemption and the impact one individual can have on systemic change.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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An analysis of the data reveals the sheer scale of youth incarceration in adult jails in Maryland.—
Rachel Baye,
NPR,
5 June 2025
Noun
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Then Johnson tapped in Pape Sarr’s cross for the only goal in the Europa League final, ending Tottenham Hotspur’s 41-year wait for European silverware.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
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Both events offer live entertainment, themed food, and access to select park attractions with generally shorter wait times than during the day How scary is Universal Halloween Horror Nights?—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detention. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.
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