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Synonyms

detention center

American  
[dih-ten-shuhn sen-ter] / dɪˈtɛn ʃən ˌsɛn tər /

noun

  1. a facility maintained by the civil authorities for persons charged with a crime, immigrants awaiting deportation rulings, or sometimes witnesses before a trial.

  2. juvenile detention center.


Etymology

Origin of detention center

First recorded in 1945–50

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.

"Our priority is to get her out of this detention center and repatriate her to France. Given her health, she won't last a month in such conditions of detention," he said.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

At least four Mexican nationals have died at the detention center.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

In Mississippi, volunteers rushed to the detention center where Velasquez was being held and got his signature, too.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

But, Carlos said by phone from the detention center, “I have my moments where I don’t know how much longer I can last.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

It was one step away from a real juvenile detention center.

From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz