detention
noun
de·ten·tion
di-ˈten-chən 
1
: the act or fact of detaining or holding back
especially
: a holding in custody
2
: the state of being detained
especially
: a period of temporary custody prior to disposition by a court
Examples of detention in a Sentence
the detention of suspected terrorists
The jail is only used for brief detentions.
They both got three detentions this year.
He got detention for being late to class.
Recent Examples on the Web
More: Immigrant women describe 'hell on earth' in ICE detention
The government could use AI to identify objects or persons of interest by sifting through satellite images and other data feeds, much like the Defense Department can do on the battlefield, said two sources familiar with the initiative.
—
Marisa Taylor and Jeffrey Dastin, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2025
The high-profile detentions of Ozturk and Doroudi followed the detention earlier this month of Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University grad student who had been active in the 2024 campus pro-Palestinian protests.
—Caroline Linton, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2025
The California State University system also has attempted to clarify its stance and released a seven-page FAQ outlining its policy responses in the event of raids, detentions, or deportation threats.
—Nuo Chen, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
The warnings come after a series of detentions at U.S. ports of entry that involved foreign tourists and green card holders.
—Ceylan Yeğinsu, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detention
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Marisa Taylor and Jeffrey Dastin, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2025
The high-profile detentions of Ozturk and Doroudi followed the detention earlier this month of Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University grad student who had been active in the 2024 campus pro-Palestinian protests.
—Caroline Linton, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2025
The California State University system also has attempted to clarify its stance and released a seven-page FAQ outlining its policy responses in the event of raids, detentions, or deportation threats.
—Nuo Chen, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
The warnings come after a series of detentions at U.S. ports of entry that involved foreign tourists and green card holders.
—Ceylan Yeğinsu, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detention
Cite this Entry
“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detention. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
detention
noun
de·ten·tion
di-ˈten-chən
: the act of detaining : the state of being detained: as
a
: temporary custody before a trial
b
: the punishment of being kept in after school
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