detain

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.

These factors, and others, convinced the judge that he could not detain the boys because the guidelines for sentencing children say that custody is a "last resort", with the priority being rehabilitation.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

Baker was also involved in monitoring Calocane over the eight days after Skelton did not detain him and put him under the care of the crisis team in January 2022.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

"The court should detain the defendant pending trial," the filing said.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

Speaking at the University of Kansas, the senior liberal justice was asked about a September 2025 decision that dealt with the rules for federal immigration agents to detain people and ask about their citizenship.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

Then when she learned, as she certainly would, that the boys were running away, going North, she would try to detain them, would create such an uproar that the entire quarter would know their secret.

From "Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad" by Ann Petry