1
as in imprisonment
the state of being held in lawful custody
he's been in detention since the arrest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of detention
Instead, federal agents took Aguirre overnight from the hospital and transferred him to a federal detention facility in Florence, in neighboring Pinal County.
—
Raphael Romero Ruiz, AZCentral.com, 12 July 2025
Last month, Hodgson was involved in the controversial detention of Adrian Martinez, a U.S. citizen accused of interfering in immigration arrests at a Walmart in Pico Rivera, according to the law firm representing Martinez.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2025
Maryland’s home detention/electronic monitoring system is flawed and needs fixing.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 11 July 2025
Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and legal permanent resident, has drawn headlines over his detention at the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for detention
Raphael Romero Ruiz, AZCentral.com, 12 July 2025
Last month, Hodgson was involved in the controversial detention of Adrian Martinez, a U.S. citizen accused of interfering in immigration arrests at a Walmart in Pico Rivera, according to the law firm representing Martinez.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2025
Maryland’s home detention/electronic monitoring system is flawed and needs fixing.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 11 July 2025
Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and legal permanent resident, has drawn headlines over his detention at the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for detention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detention
Noun
-
Elite performances have been on display, but much of the spotlight has been on delays caused by heatwaves and lightning storms, welfare concerns from coaches and players, attendance figures and questions around commercial integrity.—
Claire Poole,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
-
She's had months to do ANYTHING real and all she's done is delay and cover for elite p*dos.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
Noun
-
The divorced father of three said he was detained in 2013 following an incarceration for violating probation related to a drug offense.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
-
This panel will examine mass incarceration through multiple lenses and how the criminal justice system serves as a point of crisis of public health, black wealth building, voter disenfranchisement, and family structure.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 July 2025
Noun
-
Technological advancements in document processing and natural language processing enable travelers to receive accurate and budget-friendly assistance with passport applications and trip planning, while also reducing security wait times during both peak seasons.—
Geoff Whitmore,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
In recent years, beds in the hallways of the emergency department and long waits for admission have become problematic, as reflected in Greenspan’s presentation.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detention. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share