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
Netzah Yehuda is a unit of ultra-Orthodox soldiers that has been linked to abuses of Palestinian civilians in the past, including the death of a 78-year-old Palestinian American man after his detention by the battalion’s forces in 2022.
—
Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Children held in immigration detention endure trauma, neglect and conditions that violate basic standards of health, safety, dignity and human rights.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
Meyer, who co-authored the Quarter Turn Strategies report, and other advocates say the normal avenues of detention and treatment are not being properly applied to those with severe mental illness.
—Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Tel Aviv — The Israeli military’s top general suspended all operational activities of a reserve battalion involved in the detention and assault of a CNN team in the West Bank last week, the Israeli military said Monday.
—Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detention
Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Children held in immigration detention endure trauma, neglect and conditions that violate basic standards of health, safety, dignity and human rights.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
Meyer, who co-authored the Quarter Turn Strategies report, and other advocates say the normal avenues of detention and treatment are not being properly applied to those with severe mental illness.
—Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Tel Aviv — The Israeli military’s top general suspended all operational activities of a reserve battalion involved in the detention and assault of a CNN team in the West Bank last week, the Israeli military said Monday.
—Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detention
Noun
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Her imprisonment became a cause celebre for many on the Right, and hopes were high for her appeal, but on Thursday, the Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed her conviction.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Apr. 2026
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Most importantly, the legislation intensified punishments for those with prior convictions, with the worst offenders looking at a first-degree felony with up to 30 years imprisonment.—
Sean M. Cleary,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This time, however, travelers are already facing long lines and delays due to the ongoing partial government shutdown, which has left thousands of TSA workers without pay.—
De'Anthony Taylor,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Mar. 2026
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If there had been even a 30-second delay, Wilson might be alive, Pastor Ronald Blackwood told Wilson’s family and friends last Saturday at his funeral service at the Star of David Funeral Chapel in North Lauderdale.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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An error in a legal brief could lead to an innocent person’s incarceration.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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The 1991 movie stars Nick Nolte as Sam Bowden, the one-time public defender who Cady haunts, blaming his long prison incarceration for rape on purposefully faulty defense tactics.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The service From the valets to the front desk, the wait staff to the receptionist at the spa, the service was consistently warm and responsive without being uptight.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
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For the space fans who plan to watch the Artemis II launch, the wait for countdown may feel long.—
Emily A. Margolis,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detention. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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