1
as in to arrest
to take or keep (someone) in confinement by authority of law
Police detained the suspect.
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2
as in to delay
to keep (someone or something) from proceeding or progressing
She sent word that she had been unavoidably detained. The plane was detained for hours due to inclement weather.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of detain
Makarim was detained with two former education ministry officials and a former tech consultant who were sentenced up to four-and-half years in the case, while another staff member is wanted by authorities but remains at large.
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ABC News,
30 June 2026
Víctor was detained by immigration authorities in Texas on June 12.
—
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán,
NPR,
30 June 2026
Airport police responded and detained the passenger involved, the Indianapolis Airport Authority told CNN.
—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
30 June 2026
He had been detained while on his way to work in Chicago in September, at the height of Operation Midway Blitz.
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Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for detain
ABC News,
30 June 2026
Víctor was detained by immigration authorities in Texas on June 12.
—
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán,
NPR,
30 June 2026
Airport police responded and detained the passenger involved, the Indianapolis Airport Authority told CNN.
—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
30 June 2026
He had been detained while on his way to work in Chicago in September, at the height of Operation Midway Blitz.
—
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for detain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detain
Verb
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On July 1, Russian daredevils climbed to the tip of the building's spire before getting engaged, and then arrested.
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Two people were arrested and charged with murder Thursday in the 2024 overdose death of a Fort Worth man, according to online jail records.
Verb
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Trump is speaking now to a crowd filling the National Mall after being delayed by inclement weather.
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Attendees were told to shelter in nearby government buildings, and the celebration was delayed by a few hours before going on as scheduled.
Verb
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Photos from the match showed multiple people being apprehended or escorted away by security during the bizarre stoppage.
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Chavez, 19, ran from the scene, but was later apprehended.
Verb
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The party has focused on driving down consumer costs, seizing on what polling shows is deep dissatisfaction about the economy and worries about affordability.
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Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, who voted against the proposal in mid-June, voiced fears that the list of noncitizen voters would immediately be seized by federal immigration authorities.
Cite this Entry
“Detain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detain. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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