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
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Recent Examples of detention
The raid came after Turkish authorities issued detention orders for 241 suspects, 209 of whom were taken into custody, The Associated Press reported, citing a statement from the office of Turkey's chief prosecutor.
—
Robert McGreevy,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 2026
In their motion, Vorbe’s lawyers said that in addition to emails and a phone call to government lawyers after learning of the potential transfer, Vorbe repeatedly informed detention officials that a judicial order prohibited his transfer out of the Southern District of Florida.
—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
22 June 2026
Doyle’s arrest and detention were announced last Friday on her Instagram page, which is followed by nearly 500,000 people.
—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
Busfield was released from custody one week later following a pretrial detention hearing in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for detention
Robert McGreevy,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 2026
In their motion, Vorbe’s lawyers said that in addition to emails and a phone call to government lawyers after learning of the potential transfer, Vorbe repeatedly informed detention officials that a judicial order prohibited his transfer out of the Southern District of Florida.
—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
22 June 2026
Doyle’s arrest and detention were announced last Friday on her Instagram page, which is followed by nearly 500,000 people.
—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
Busfield was released from custody one week later following a pretrial detention hearing in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for detention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detention
Noun
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Glenn Middleton is facing a maximum of 20 years in prison, plus a minimum of five years imprisonment consecutive if found guilty of other charges.
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Those causes carried timeless moral weight that outlasted Gandhi’s assassination and Mandela’s nearly three decades of imprisonment.
Noun
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Earlier, near the Simon Bolivar International Airport — an area also heavily impacted by the quakes — residents complained of delays in resuming rescue operations.
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After having seen clients with months of delays, recently Akimoto has some clients who filed to renew their DACA protection in April and May and got their approvals within six weeks.
Noun
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In the movie Invictus, Nelson Mandela refers to the poem by the same name as something that sustained him during his 27 years of incarceration.
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Layne’s group has pushed county leaders to fund a continuous drug addiction treatment program, expanding access for those who need it both during and after incarceration.
Noun
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Having ended a 28-year wait to make it here, the duo have not suffered from stage fright.
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Prior authorization saves money for insurers partly by making patients pay a price in wait times and inconvenience, said Miranda Yaver, a University of Pittsburgh health policy researcher studying the technique.
Cite this Entry
“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detention. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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