detainee

noun

de·​tain·​ee di-ˌtā-ˈnē How to pronounce detainee (audio)
ˌdē-
Synonyms of detaineenext
: 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.
Selcuk Acar / Anadolu via Getty Images ICE reported 33 detainee deaths in 2025, the highest total in more than two decades, according to the National Immigration Project, a legal nonprofit. — Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 4 Aug. 2026 The New Jersey facility has repeatedly been accused by state and local inspectors of obstructing health and safety inspections and has been the site of ongoing protests and detainee hunger strikes over food quality, overcrowding and medical care. — Emma Bussey , Bill Melugin, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Rehkopf remained in custody at the Kendall County jail as of Monday afternoon, according to Kendall County detainee records. — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026 Some linked arms and tried to block a van from moving the detainees to the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma. — Meg Anderson, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026 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

Rhymes for detainee

See All Rhymes for detainee

Browse Nearby Words

detain
detainee
detainer
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Cite this Entry

“Detainee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detainee. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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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

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for detainee

Nglish: Translation of detainee for Spanish Speakers

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