1
as in imprisonment
the state of being held in lawful custody
he's been in detention since the arrest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Examples 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
On Sunday, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was taken into custody at a Seoul detention facility after undergoing an investigation by prosecutors, a law enforcement official said, requesting anonymity in line with privacy rules.
—
Hyung-Jin Kim and Kim Tong-Hyung, Los Angeles Times, 8 Dec. 2024
Countless political prisoners and Syrians disappeared into the country's vast and shadowy detention system over the Assad family's five-decade rule.
—Zachary Basu, Axios, 8 Dec. 2024
The United States and international groups have said his detention was unjust and arbitrary.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 28 Nov. 2024
Administrative detention is a tool used by Israel to detain terror suspects without trial.
—Dina Kraft, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for detention 
Hyung-Jin Kim and Kim Tong-Hyung, Los Angeles Times, 8 Dec. 2024
Countless political prisoners and Syrians disappeared into the country's vast and shadowy detention system over the Assad family's five-decade rule.
—Zachary Basu, Axios, 8 Dec. 2024
The United States and international groups have said his detention was unjust and arbitrary.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 28 Nov. 2024
Administrative detention is a tool used by Israel to detain terror suspects without trial.
—Dina Kraft, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for detention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detention
Noun
-
And that means more time, which might make the delay to millions of upgrades more palatable.Zak Doffman, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
-
The five years was due in part to a number of delays.Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Thousands of prisoners have now been freed, many after decades of incarceration in brutal conditions.Salma Abdelaziz, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
-
On another wall were carved prisoners’ names, birthplaces and dates of incarceration.Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
The initial location will be equipped with drive-thru lanes, kiosks and back-of-house tech that will employ real-world data to reduce wait times and keep food stocked and fresh.Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024
-
Some longtime residents grew irritated by the strain on city services, such as wait times for public health services, a housing shortage and rising rents.Maria Ramirez Uribe and Amy Sherman, Journal Sentinel, 18 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near detention
Cite this Entry
“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detention. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share