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
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
-
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
-
After several delays and the project going on pause during the COVID-19 pandemic, the mural got underway and now her dream has come true.—
Meredith G. White,
AZCentral.com,
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
-
Across the United States, the average wait time is 48 days between when a patient initially contacts a provider for mental healthcare and their first appointment.—
Amanda Marlar,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
Vance's visit disrupted park operations as security measures increased, resulting in prolonged wait times and temporary ride closures for other guests, according to The Independent.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detention. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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