detention

noun
UK: /dɪˈten.ʃən/
US: /dɪˈten.ʃən/

  1. The state of being kept in a place, like a prison or school, and not allowed to leave.

    1. He was given a detention for being late to class. [ ] [ ]
    2. The immigrants are being held in detention while their cases are reviewed. [ ] [ ]

  2. A punishment in which a student is required to stay at school after the normal hours.

    1. She got detention for talking back to the teacher. [ ] [ ]
    2. Repeated offenses will result in detention and a call home to your parents. [ ] [ ]

  3. The act of officially detaining someone.

    1. The police ordered the detention of the suspect. [ ] [ ]
    2. The lawyer argued against the unlawful detention of his client. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

confinement custody incarceration

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "detention" in English means: The state of being kept in a place, like a prison or school, and not allowed to leave., A punishment in which a student is required to stay at school after the normal hours., The act of officially detaining someone..

The phonetic transcription of "detention" is /dɪˈten.ʃən/ in British English and /dɪˈten.ʃən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "detention": confinement, custody, incarceration.

Example usage of "detention": "He was given a detention for being late to class.". More examples on the page.