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
Synonyms
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 teen will return to court for a disposition hearing on May 23 and 24 to determine his punishment; the judge will decide if he will be held in a detention facility.
—
Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 19 Apr. 2024
During her detention, Mary Winkler’s three daughters were living with Matthew’s parents.
—Calvin Milliner, ABC News, 19 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for detention 
Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 19 Apr. 2024
During her detention, Mary Winkler’s three daughters were living with Matthew’s parents.
—Calvin Milliner, ABC News, 19 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for detention
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.
Dictionary Entries Near detention
Cite this Entry
“Detention.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detention. Accessed 6 May. 2024.
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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