detainee
noun
de·tain·ee
di-ˌtā-ˈnē 
ˌdē-
: a person held in custody especially for political reasons
Examples of detainee in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The hour-long weekly vigils have brought out faith leaders and followers from all parts of South and Central Florida to offer prayers for detainees and speak out against Florida’s decision to construct the camp in the middle of the Everglades.
—
Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025
The number of Palestinian detainees held by Israel has roughly doubled since the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas.
—Emily Feng, NPR, 16 Aug. 2025
In July, the Miami Herald reported a list of 700 current and prospective detainees, over 250 of whom have no criminal convictions or pending charges.
—Yezen Saadah, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Last summer, Israel transferred hundreds of Palestinian detainees out of Sde Teiman following a petition from human rights groups – which drew heavily on CNN reporting about the makeshift prison – for it to be shut down.
—Lauren Izso, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detainee
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Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025
The number of Palestinian detainees held by Israel has roughly doubled since the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas.
—Emily Feng, NPR, 16 Aug. 2025
In July, the Miami Herald reported a list of 700 current and prospective detainees, over 250 of whom have no criminal convictions or pending charges.
—Yezen Saadah, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Last summer, Israel transferred hundreds of Palestinian detainees out of Sde Teiman following a petition from human rights groups – which drew heavily on CNN reporting about the makeshift prison – for it to be shut down.
—Lauren Izso, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detainee
Cite this Entry
“Detainee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detainee. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
detainee
noun
de·tain·ee
di-ˌtā-ˈnē
: a person who is detained
especially
: a person held in custody prior to trial or hearing
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