DETAIN Synonyms: 145 Similar and Opposite Words

detain

verb

Definition of detain next

as in to arrest

to take or keep (someone) in confinement by authority of law Police detained the suspect.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word detain distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of detain are delay, retard, slacken, and slow. While all these words mean "to cause to be late or behind in movement or progress," detain implies a holding back beyond a reasonable or appointed time.

unexpected business had detained her

When is delay a more appropriate choice than detain?

While in some cases nearly identical to detain, delay implies a holding back, usually by interference, from completion or arrival.

bad weather delayed our arrival

In what contexts can retard take the place of detain?

In some situations, the words retard and detain are roughly equivalent. However, retard suggests reduction of speed without actual stopping.

language barriers retarded their progress

When might slacken be a better fit than detain?

Although the words slacken and detain have much in common, slacken suggests an easing up or relaxing of power or effort.

on hot days runners slacken their pace

How do slow and slacken relate to one another, in the sense of detain?

Both slow and slacken also imply a reduction of speed, slow often suggesting deliberate intention.

medication slowed the patient's heart rate

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of detain An American is detained overseas:What happens next? —

Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 27 Nov. 2024 Thanks to this Administration’s efforts and diplomacy with the PRC, all of the wrongfully detained Americans in the PRC are home. —

Greg Norman, Fox News, 27 Nov. 2024 The bullet that killed her came from the apartment unit next door where officers found and detained Mata. —

Bianca Moreno-Paz, Austin American-Statesman, 18 Nov. 2024 Any increase in efforts to detain and deport people will also likely require more places to detain them. —

Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 14 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for detain

Recent Examples of Synonyms for detain

Verb

Authorities in Oregon have arrested a man for allegedly murdering his wife after her body was found hours earlier in a small village near Mount Hood, about 70 miles east of Portland.

Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 2 Dec. 2024
In August, Kelley was arrested for the second time this year in Georgia and booked in Carroll County Jail on three counts.

Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 2 Dec. 2024