detainee
One in custody
A detainee is a person held in custody, typically by government authorities.
The term usually implies detention without formal criminal charges—someone held for immigration violations, as a prisoner of war, or during national security investigations: Detainees at the facility awaited their asylum hearings.
The word emphasizes the person's status as held rather than convicted.
Confined facility resident
- convictJailed offender after trial
- captiveOne held by force
- interneePerson held in custody
- political prisonerJailed for ideology
prisoner of war · POW · enemy combatant · suspect · accused · arrestee · defendant · ward
Basic unit of life
- incarcerationConfinement in jail
- captivityState of being confined
- internmentWartime civilian imprisonment
- holdingMaintaining physical possession
lockup · isolation · confinement · custody · restraint · containment · quarantine · captured
Charge-reading court session
- hearingPerceiving sound waves
- bailCourt-set release payment
- tribunalJudicial decision-making body
- asylumShelter from persecution
deportation · habeas corpus · due process · jurisdiction · appeal · attorney · defense · prosecution
Formal, probing examination
- tortureDeliberate infliction of suffering
- abuseCruel or violent treatment
- rightsJustified claims to freedoms
- conditionsPrevailing state of affairs
mistreatment · solitary · shackles · humane · inhumane · Geneva Convention · Red Cross · oversight
One forcibly taken
- kidnap victimOne forcibly taken
- hostageCaptive held as security
- pawnUnwitting tool of another
- bargaining chipAsset used in negotiations
human shield · ransom · captive · seized · taken · held hostage · leverage · negotiation
inmate
Confined facility resident
political prisoner · prisoner of war · POW · enemy combatant · suspect · accused · arrestee · defendant · ward · charge
cell
Basic unit of life
- incarcerationConfinement in jail
- captivityState of being confined
- internmentWartime civilian imprisonment
holding · lockup · isolation · confinement · custody · restraint · containment · quarantine · captured · captive
arraignment
Charge-reading court session
asylum · deportation · habeas corpus · due process · jurisdiction · appeal · attorney · defense · prosecution · adjudication
interrogation
Formal, probing examination
- tortureDeliberate infliction of suffering
- abuseCruel or violent treatment
- rightsJustified claims to freedoms
conditions · mistreatment · solitary · shackles · humane · inhumane · Geneva Convention · Red Cross · oversight · welfare
abductee
One forcibly taken
- kidnap victimOne forcibly taken
- hostageCaptive held as security
- pawnUnwitting tool of another
bargaining chip · human shield · ransom · captive · seized · taken · held hostage · leverage · negotiation · exchange
- Doublespeakcollateral damage, enhanced interrogation, friendly fire, regime change, neutralize
- immigrationimmigrant, immigrants, visa, refugee, citizenship
- captivitycaptive, prisoner, imprisoned, incarcerated, prison
- imprisonmentprison, jail, prisoners, cells, captivity
- residentsresident, residents, inhabitants, inhabitant, local
- arrestarrest, handcuffs, Miranda warning, booking, custody
detaineeindependent
Free from external control
parolee · civilian · free agent · probationer
- political detaineesThose imprisoned for ideology
- unlawful detainerPossession without legal authority
- ghost detaineesUnacknowledged, secretly held captives
detain, detained, detainment, detaining, detainees, detainer