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
Whatever the state gathers—whether the innocuous, the personal, or the intensely political—could in turn be used for arrests, detentions, fines, disappearances, and much worse.
—
Justin Sherman, The Atlantic, 11 Oct. 2025
The raid resulted in the detention of more than 300 Korean nationals, who were eventually returned to their native country.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 11 Oct. 2025
There are many more individuals with serious mental illness in jails, prisons, and immigration detention facilities than there are in psychiatric facilities.
—Terry Kupers, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025
In July, congressional Republicans’ tax-and-spend bill provided tens of billions of dollars in new funding to ICE, including $45 billion for detention.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detention
Justin Sherman, The Atlantic, 11 Oct. 2025
The raid resulted in the detention of more than 300 Korean nationals, who were eventually returned to their native country.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 11 Oct. 2025
There are many more individuals with serious mental illness in jails, prisons, and immigration detention facilities than there are in psychiatric facilities.
—Terry Kupers, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025
In July, congressional Republicans’ tax-and-spend bill provided tens of billions of dollars in new funding to ICE, including $45 billion for detention.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detention
Noun
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Legendary Italian auteur Marco Bellocchio (The Traitor, Kidnapped) directed and co-wrote the six-episode series, which tells the story of the downfall and imprisonment of popular TV host Enzo Tortora, an innocent man.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Oct. 2025
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Zoë described her uncle as a deeply compassionate man who transformed his decades of imprisonment into a mission of service.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Package cannot clear due to customs delay or missing info.—
Kayla Steinberg,
NBC news,
10 Oct. 2025
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Laurene Allen, an environmental advocate who lives in Merrimack, New Hampshire, where PFNA was one of several forever chemicals discovered in drinking water in 2016, was awaiting the report and is frustrated and enraged by its delay.—
Sharon Lerner,
ProPublica,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Griffin-Gracy spent more five decades advocating for Black trans women, gender-nonconforming people, trans women who survived incarceration and police brutality, and the AIDS crisis, the post read.—
Nicquel Terry Ellis,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
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Chamberlain sentenced Siegel to five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, then suspended execution of the sentence and gave him five years of probation and 60 days of shock incarceration.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Five wins from five sees Stale Solbakken’s free-scoring side, fuelled by the goals of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, top their group with a flawless record, and the next month could see an end to Norway’s 26-year wait to feature in a major tournament.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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Preparing World of Flight Philadelphia ready to open took longer than expected because of the requirements for construction in a historic building, but Jordan Brand sees the wait as worth it in order to execute such an authentic space.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detention. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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