a state of being confined (usually for a short time); "his detention was politically motivated"; "the prisoner is on hold"; "he is in the custody of police"
Used in a Sentence
detention
How to use detention in a sentence. Example sentences and definitions for detention.
Editorial note
His requests as to the nature of his detention were denied.
Examples11
Definitions2
Parts of speech1
Quick take
a state of being confined (usually for a short time); "his detention was politically motivated"; "the prisoner is on hold"; "he is in the custody of police"
Meaning at a glance
The clearest senses and uses of detention gathered in one view.
a punishment in which a student must stay at school after others have gone home; "the detention of tardy pupils"
Definitions
Core meanings and parts of speech for detention.
noun
a state of being confined (usually for a short time); "his detention was politically motivated"; "the prisoner is on hold"; "he is in the custody of police"
See also: detainment, hold, custody
noun
a punishment in which a student must stay at school after others have gone home; "the detention of tardy pupils"
Example sentences
His requests as to the nature of his detention were denied.
The most recent time, April 5, she took notes during her detention.
Selling my dad's car was the last straw and we sent him to a juvenile detention/rehab/detox center to recover.
" Preventive detention though they don't call it that has been mainstreamed, due process sacrificed to efficiency.
We called him into a team meeting, and he sauntered in, ready for whatever we could give him - in-school suspension, after-school detention.
It is the civil equivalent of "preventive detention" in criminal cases -- punishment without proof.
Assassination, torture, rendition, and detention without trial are all normalised now in the US for terrorists.
During his detention he was repeatedly sexually assaulted, withheld legal counsel, and coerced to confess with false promises of freedom.
Oh, and apparently we now do indefinite detention as well, without legal representation except in front of a kangaroo court, maybe, eventually.
No, continue indefinite detentions without trial and/or execute Americans without a trial.
"DHS lawyers claimed that international travel provides, in and of itself, sufficient Constitutional basis for detention and search of international travellers and the search, seizure and copying of the digital contents of their belongings."Really?
Frequently asked questions
Short answers drawn from the clearest meanings and examples for this word.
How do you use detention in a sentence?
His requests as to the nature of his detention were denied.
What does detention mean?
a state of being confined (usually for a short time); "his detention was politically motivated"; "the prisoner is on hold"; "he is in the custody of police"
What part of speech is detention?
detention is commonly used as noun.