detention
noun
de·ten·tion
di-ˈten-chən 
1
: the act or fact of detaining or holding back
especially
: a holding in custody
2
: the state of being detained
especially
: a period of temporary custody prior to disposition by a court
Examples of detention in a Sentence
the detention of suspected terrorists
The jail is only used for brief detentions.
They both got three detentions this year.
He got detention for being late to class.
Recent Examples on the Web
His administration's actions, which include a marked increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and substantial emphasis on detention facilities, have underscored this focus.
—
Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
After serving her sentence, Yang was transferred to an ICE detention facility and released in 2023 with a removal order from the US.
—Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 25 July 2025
She was held in an ICE detention facility for 49 days and still faces an immigration court process for overstaying her visa.
—Eva Wen, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
Immigrants forced to eat 'like a dog' in detention centers
ICE detention facilities across the country are becoming overcrowded and conditions are deteriorating, according to a July 21 Human Rights Watch report.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for detention
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Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
After serving her sentence, Yang was transferred to an ICE detention facility and released in 2023 with a removal order from the US.
—Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 25 July 2025
She was held in an ICE detention facility for 49 days and still faces an immigration court process for overstaying her visa.
—Eva Wen, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
Immigrants forced to eat 'like a dog' in detention centers
ICE detention facilities across the country are becoming overcrowded and conditions are deteriorating, according to a July 21 Human Rights Watch report.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for detention
Cite this Entry
“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detention. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
detention
noun
de·ten·tion
di-ˈten-chən
: the act of detaining : the state of being detained: as
a
: temporary custody before a trial
b
: the punishment of being kept in after school
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