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
Some of those deportations occurred as a result of detainees deciding to abandon their ongoing immigration cases to put an end to their detention at the facility and its harsh conditions, which included being held in chain-link cages in tents with little protection from the elements.
—
Ben Wieder, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2025
Both sides have also carried out arbitrary detentions, with SAF interrogating and beating dozens of Christians in 2024 and 2025.
—Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Benitzhar remains in federal custody and is next scheduled to appear in district court Tuesday for a detention hearing.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
International powers have repeatedly called for Machar’s release, warning his detention could tip the country back into civil war.
—CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detention
Ben Wieder, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2025
Both sides have also carried out arbitrary detentions, with SAF interrogating and beating dozens of Christians in 2024 and 2025.
—Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Benitzhar remains in federal custody and is next scheduled to appear in district court Tuesday for a detention hearing.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
International powers have repeatedly called for Machar’s release, warning his detention could tip the country back into civil war.
—CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detention
Noun
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Still grieving the death of his wife and the imprisonment of his son, Brandis binges on booze but possesses a sharp and intuitive mind, even if his family life is in disarray.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
12 Sep. 2025
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The two men care for each other amidst the squalid conditions of their imprisonment in 1970s Argentina.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Outdated or missing beneficiary designations are common and can lead to delays, unintended distributions or even disputes among heirs.—
Larry Light,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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Reuters — The United Nations Security Council did not adopt a draft resolution on Friday to permanently lift sanctions on Iran, but Tehran and key European powers still have eight days to try and agree to a delay.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Since their incarceration during the Japanese Internment, my grandfather, his sister, and their mother have processed this trauma in ways that have affected my mother and me.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Sep. 2025
-
He was sentenced to four years’ probation and 30 days of shock incarceration.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The policy marks a shift toward stricter in-person vetting and security checks, but also comes amid skyrocketing wait times for visa interviews in several countries.—
Alia Shoaib,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
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For children with sepsis, a potentially lethal reaction by the body to infection that causes 20% of deaths worldwide, the wait can prove deadly.—
Brian Simpson,
NPR,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detention. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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