detention centre

British

noun

a place where persons (typically asylum seekers, illegal immigrants, or people awaiting trial) may be detained for short periods by order of a court

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

After being caught on the metro, the former bank worker was held for three days in a detention centre without a shower or change of clothes.

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

"France has committed to building this detention centre," a UK government spokesperson said.

From BBC • May 27, 2026

After his arrest by ICE agents, he spent about five months in a detention centre, before being deported to Mexico on 11 March.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

While they were waiting for the judge's decision, Janie went to see her husband at the detention centre.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

There is no proof that it was a report by Billy's son that landed his stepmother in an ICE detention centre.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023