1
as in detentions
the state of being held in lawful custody
keep him in detainer for at least 72 hours
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in appropriations
the unlawful taking or withholding of something from the rightful owner under a guise of authority
she filed an action for unlawful detainer of land after nonpayment of rent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of detainers
The department’s policy is based off a 2017 state law prohibiting Massachusetts police officers from enforcing civil immigration detainers.
—
Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 7 Jan. 2026
But once those moratoriums ended in 2023, unlawful detainers (a type of notice that can lead to eviction) doubled from June 2022 to June 2023.
—Saumya Roy, The Dial, 6 Jan. 2026
Kubiszewski said Milwaukee County used to honor ICE detainers but that stopped in about 2013.
—John Diedrich, jsonline.com, 16 Dec. 2025
According to data provided by ICE, Illinois has released 1,768 criminal aliens with active detainers since January 2025.
—Christina Shaw, FOXNews.com, 8 Dec. 2025
Ackerson also noted Greenberg's directive for Louisville Metro Department of Corrections to hold inmates for up to an additional 48 hours to comply with ICE detainers helped the city avoid a sanctuary city designation.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 Dec. 2025
The goal of detainers is to give ICE agents more time to pick someone up if they are suspected of being in the country illegally.
—CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
They were being held in the Grand Prairie Jail with immigration detainers.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Nov. 2025
McFadden also declined to honor ICE detainers – requests for local law enforcement to hold people in their custody beyond their ordinary release time, allowing federal agents to pick them up.
—Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 22 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detainers
Noun
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No arrests, detentions or altercations with police were reported.—
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His name has been associated with police operations carried out in the context of protests, detentions, and crowd-control actions executed by the PNB, a force that since its creation has played a central role in repressing political dissent.—
Noun
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The shooting caused some Democrats to call for appropriators to demand restrictions on ICE in appropriations legislation, such as Defense or Homeland Security, late last week.—
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Some Democrats in the House, where Republicans hold a razor-thin majority that has gotten narrower, have also said legislation for DHS appropriations should be used as leverage.—
Noun
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Despite their felony convictions and impending incarcerations, both former Met police career criminals continue to collect their monthly kisses in the mail — $8,850 a month for Cederquist and $6,020 for Butner.—
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Baltimore leaders say that 87% of young men enrolled in Roca Baltimore for 24 months have no new incarcerations, while those who stay in the program for three years are 19% less likely to return to a life of crime than other similarly aged men in Maryland.—
Noun
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Those seizures have led to years of lawsuits and efforts by the companies to recoup their losses.—
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In recent years, the DEA presence in Colombia has grown to become the agency’s largest foreign operation, and agents say that has yielded fruit as Colombia has boosted drug seizures and arrests.—
Noun
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The trio developed a reputation for aggressive takeovers of companies, most notably the now-legendary raid on the Kremenchuk steel plant in 2006.—
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Kenvue shareholders will own about 46% in what is one of the largest corporate takeovers this year.—
Noun
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But county commissioners voted in February to put a moratorium on annexations and incorporations for at least five years to give the county time to assess the fiscal impact of future annexation and incorporations.—
Cite this Entry
“Detainers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detainers. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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