1
as in delays
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
the returning vacationers' detainment at the border only lasted a few minutes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imprisonments
the state of being held in lawful custody
she'll be kept in detainment until the trial if she can't post bail
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of detainments
Chicagoans blew whistles and filmed detainments while immigration agents patrolled neighborhoods with military-grade weapons as part of Operation Midway Blitz.
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Alex Poppe,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
The detainments would also be very temporary, would only be during the building's office hours, and no one would be detained overnight.
—
Dennis Valera,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Immigration sweeps peaked in Orange County’s most populous city last summer with at least 30 detainments between mid-June and mid-September, including when federal officers descended several times on car washes and a Home Depot, ending in several deportations.
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Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
14 Apr. 2026
Hefets’ detainments were part of a national policy toward antisemitism, defined over decades in the shadow of the Holocaust and sharpened recently under the helm of Felix Klein, the first federal commissioner for combating antisemitism.
—
Shira Li Bartov,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
Kim is the executive director of Minnesota Voice, a progressive nonprofit dedicated to voter registration, civic engagement and training community organizers, and took a visible role organizing against Immigration end Customs Enforcement detainments during Operation Metro Surge.
—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
4 Mar. 2026
The singer’s tour stop in Minnesota doubled as a benefit concert for Minneapolis nonprofit The Advocates for Human Rights, which has been working to support families affected by ICE’s arrests, detainments and deportations in the city.
—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
23 Feb. 2026
Many of the students who have participated in school walkouts have cited deep personal concerns about how ICE's operations could result in wrongful detainments or violence in their communities.
—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
19 Feb. 2026
The Lawrence Police Department did not confirm the detainments.
—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
17 Feb. 2026
Alex Poppe,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
The detainments would also be very temporary, would only be during the building's office hours, and no one would be detained overnight.
—
Dennis Valera,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Immigration sweeps peaked in Orange County’s most populous city last summer with at least 30 detainments between mid-June and mid-September, including when federal officers descended several times on car washes and a Home Depot, ending in several deportations.
—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
14 Apr. 2026
Hefets’ detainments were part of a national policy toward antisemitism, defined over decades in the shadow of the Holocaust and sharpened recently under the helm of Felix Klein, the first federal commissioner for combating antisemitism.
—
Shira Li Bartov,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
Kim is the executive director of Minnesota Voice, a progressive nonprofit dedicated to voter registration, civic engagement and training community organizers, and took a visible role organizing against Immigration end Customs Enforcement detainments during Operation Metro Surge.
—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
4 Mar. 2026
The singer’s tour stop in Minnesota doubled as a benefit concert for Minneapolis nonprofit The Advocates for Human Rights, which has been working to support families affected by ICE’s arrests, detainments and deportations in the city.
—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
23 Feb. 2026
Many of the students who have participated in school walkouts have cited deep personal concerns about how ICE's operations could result in wrongful detainments or violence in their communities.
—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
19 Feb. 2026
The Lawrence Police Department did not confirm the detainments.
—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detainments
Noun
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Sarah Buck, Chicago Driving has become harder The rapid increase in bike lanes has made driving much more difficult and tedious, with numerous delays due to many streets being reduced to one lane in busy areas.
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Standing on the National Mall in the afternoon, before storm delays and fireworks, Donald Rasdall and Betsy Green peered at the history around them.
Noun
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More people know about arbitrary arrests and imprisonments.
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Darling pointed to recent high profile imprisonments of Baha’i cousins Peyvand Naimi and Borna Naimi, who have undergone torture to force confessions and face possible death sentences.
Noun
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Healthcare providers are always a reliable resource for patients, but many Medicare beneficiaries face long waits for appointments with doctors.
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Powell said China has such operations lined up and planned well in advance and waits for such triggering events.
Noun
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As the detentions accelerated, United We Dream began tracking them.
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In a statement on Thursday, Human Rights Watch also criticized the detentions and urged NATO to ensure that basic democratic rights are respected during the summit.
Noun
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One 2025 study found that these waivers may be tied to fewer hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and incarcerations among adults with serious mental illness.
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Despite their felony convictions and impending incarcerations, both former Met police career criminals continue to collect their monthly kisses in the mail — $8,850 a month for Cederquist and $6,020 for Butner.
Cite this Entry
“Detainments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detainments. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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