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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 According to an Amnesty International report released in April, about 11,500 men, 14,500 women, and 30,000 children were held in at least 27 detention facilities and two camps in Syria. Raquel Carvalho, TIME, 5 Feb. 2025 Federal District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss, who is handling the Amica case, has yet to make a ruling but has asked government attorneys to confirm that full access to detention facilities has been restored, according to lawyers for the plaintiffs. Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2025 Its responses did not address the issue of his detention, but instead repeated the accusation that hospitals in Gaza were used by Hamas. Freddie Clayton, NBC News, 2 Feb. 2025 Instead, waves of migration over generations would reshape South Florida and U.S. immigration detention policies, with a brain drain also flowing into New York, Canada, and most recently, Brazil, Chile and Mexico. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for detention 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detention
Noun
  • Across the economy, such delays could mean a softer job market and more slowly growing economy.
    Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2025
  • The rule change is also likely to result in delivery delays since the packages now have to go through customs, Juozas Kaziukenas, founder of e-commerce intelligence firm Marketplace Pulse, told the Associated Press.
    Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Released in 2015 — three years into his incarceration — Viking became Kartel’s fourth consecutive project to reach the top 10 of Reggae Albums (No. 3).
    Kyle Denis, Billboard, 30 Jan. 2025
  • Funds will be steered toward expanding its payor and health system partnerships and providing more services to high-risk populations, including adults in the criminal justice system, where the company sees telehealth as a means of providing consistent care from incarceration to reentry.
    Erin Brodwin, Axios, 29 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • In the coming months, Niccol plans to slash 30% of Starbucks’ menu to simplify its offerings, reduce wait times and improve customer experience.
    Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 9 Feb. 2025
  • His path to a kidney transplant was further complicated by his O-group blood type, which significantly extended his wait time.
    Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near detention

Cite this Entry

“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detention. Accessed 18 Feb. 2025.

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