detention

noun

de·​ten·​tion di-ˈten-chən How to pronounce detention (audio)
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 The incident was one of the latest examples of apparent anti-migrant animosity along the local border, where for seven months large groups of asylum seekers have been surrendering to Border Patrol agents and then awaiting processing at the unofficial open-air detention sites. Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024 Pre-trial juvenile detention is handled by the courts and is governed by court rules, which prohibit the release of booking photos. The Arizona Republic, 15 Mar. 2024 Martinez was assigned to detention services, according to a copy of the department’s roster. James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024 All the residents are under indefinite detention, as no plans have apparently been made to prosecute any of them—imagine if Guantánamo were the size of a city, and its inmates were mostly women and children. Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 In a growing number of schools, days are marked by strict routines and detentions for minor infractions, like forgetting a pencil case or having an untidy uniform. Emma Bubola, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 At an initial court appearance, U.S. Magistrate Judge Robin M. Meriweather of D.C. ordered Corado held, pending a detention hearing Friday, prosecutors said. Casey Parks, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 These forcible abductions and detentions, which violate international law, have systematically been used as a counterinsurgency tool by Pakistan’s security forces since the 1980s. Sarah Khan, Foreign Affairs, 5 Mar. 2024 The business advisory also highlights risks associated with the proliferation and implementation of repressive laws, including expropriation and detention. Bennett Freeman, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'detention.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English detencion, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin detention-, detentio, from detinēre to detain

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of detention was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near detention

Cite this Entry

“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detention. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

detention

noun
de·​ten·​tion di-ˈten-chən How to pronounce detention (audio)
: 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

Legal Definition

detention

noun
de·​ten·​tion
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 a trial or hearing see also preventive detention

More from Merriam-Webster on detention

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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