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.
According to Nice, Gomes Da Silva was subsequently detained for four nights in cells that are intended to hold detainees for hours before being transferred. Ben Adler, USA Today, 7 June 2025 Officers themselves are not in agreement on how detainees should be treated. Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 7 June 2025 On Thursday morning, ICE was holding around 54,000 immigrant detainees in detention facilities across the country, according to the data. June 5, CBS News, 5 June 2025 Those detainees included a toddler and a 6-year-old child, said AFSC Denver program director Jennifer Piper. Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Denver Post, 5 June 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 11 Jun. 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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