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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of detention
Twin brother Oren’s detention hearing was then postponed until Tuesday because his attorney, Klugh, recently underwent eye surgery and needed more time to prepare for it.
—
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
Brad Spafford was charged earlier in the month on a gun violation, but in a detention memo filed on Monday, prosecutors in Virginia outlined something allegedly more alarming.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 1 Jan. 2025
Arizona prison capacity could be factor in enforcement Law enforcement officials intending to make Proposition 314 arrests may need to take into account how much detention bed space is available.
—Ray Stern, The Arizona Republic, 30 Dec. 2024
They were criticized by immigration advocates and pediatricians who said detention was harmful for children.
—Nick Miroff The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for detention 
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
Brad Spafford was charged earlier in the month on a gun violation, but in a detention memo filed on Monday, prosecutors in Virginia outlined something allegedly more alarming.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 1 Jan. 2025
Arizona prison capacity could be factor in enforcement Law enforcement officials intending to make Proposition 314 arrests may need to take into account how much detention bed space is available.
—Ray Stern, The Arizona Republic, 30 Dec. 2024
They were criticized by immigration advocates and pediatricians who said detention was harmful for children.
—Nick Miroff The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for detention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detention
Noun
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This delay adds to a string of setbacks for New Glenn, which has been in development for a decade.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
13 Jan. 2025
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Complicating the court’s deliberations is that the nine-member court currently only has eight justices, due to a delay in filling vacancies left by retired justices.—
Helen Regan,
CNN,
13 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Since the program's inception in 1996, less than 3 percent of RTA members have returned to prison—a sharp contrast to the roughly 40 percent that return to prison within three years—underscoring the potential of art in breaking cycles of incarceration.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
10 Jan. 2025
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His research is focused on the effects of incarceration and looking at ways to preserve the dignity of those who, like himself, have been impacted by the criminal justice system.—
Shirsho Dasgupta,
Miami Herald,
10 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Long waits exist for defendants looking for capacity restoration services, and accessing mental healthcare in jail is difficult.—
Kallie Cox,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Jan. 2025
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Now, the families of the remaining hostages are enduring the same anxious wait, but for them, it's been 468 days.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near detention
Cite this Entry
“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detention. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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