detainee

noun

de·​tain·​ee di-ˌtā-ˈnē How to pronounce detainee (audio)
ˌdē-
: a person held in custody especially for political reasons

Examples of detainee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
There’s also Iman’s colleague, Ghaderi (Reza Akhlaghi), who advises him to sign a detainee’s death sentence without even reviewing the file, which is the way things seem to function in their department. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2025 In one case, a detainee didn’t get his medicine for days, despite bringing it to the center, according to the letter. Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2025 That's not the only humiliation they're forced to endure, the detainees say. Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025 According to the agency's own data, almost half of those detainees have no criminal record -- their violations are limited to immigration offenses. Laura Romero, ABC News, 19 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for detainee

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1928, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of detainee was circa 1928

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Cite this Entry

“Detainee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detainee. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

Legal Definition

detainee

noun
de·​tain·​ee di-ˌtā-ˈnē How to pronounce detainee (audio)
: a person who is detained
especially : a person held in custody prior to trial or hearing

More from Merriam-Webster on detainee

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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