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.
For reasons that remain unclear, he was subsequently approved to be moved in with other detainees. — Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026 The agency has instructed contractors that families at the facility cannot be referred to as prisoners, detainees or inmates, records show. — Jack Brook, ABC News, 6 July 2026 The federal government requires detention centers to provide detainees at least one hour of outdoor time per day, but many got only a couple of hours a week, detainees told ProPublica and the Tribune. — Perla Trevizo, ProPublica, 3 July 2026 The detainees say they have been called into meetings with senior officials from the Iran Interest Section and officials already know information within their asylum claims, according to the complaint. — Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 7 July 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 10 Jul. 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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