1
as in delay
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 detention
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detainment
Noun
-
She's had months to do ANYTHING real and all she's done is delay and cover for elite p*dos.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025 -
Trump in his Saturday letters to von der Leyen and Sheinbaum announced a 30 percent tariff rate on goods imported into the U.S. beginning Aug. 1, after an initial 90-day pause and deadline delay lapses on the import taxes.—
Steff Danielle Thomas,
The Hill,
12 July 2025
Noun
-
The Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times has obtained a list of more than 700 people who have been detained or appear to be scheduled to be sent to the Florida-run immigration detention facility known as Alligator Alcatraz.—
Ana Ceballos,
Miami Herald,
13 July 2025
-
Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia graduate and pro-Palestinian activist just released from ICE detention, was in the front row.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
13 July 2025
Noun
-
Technological advancements in document processing and natural language processing enable travelers to receive accurate and budget-friendly assistance with passport applications and trip planning, while also reducing security wait times during both peak seasons.—
Geoff Whitmore,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
After long waits, many of their cases amounted to nothing and were dismissed, sending them home with no help.—
Vincent Schiraldi,
Baltimore Sun,
26 June 2025
Noun
-
The divorced father of three said he was detained in 2013 following an incarceration for violating probation related to a drug offense.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
-
This panel will examine mass incarceration through multiple lenses and how the criminal justice system serves as a point of crisis of public health, black wealth building, voter disenfranchisement, and family structure.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 July 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Detainment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detainment. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share