Synonyms for detain
dɪˈteɪnde·tain

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 2 votes

1. detain

   The legal term arrest carries always the implication of a legal offense; this is true even of arresting for debt. But one may be detained by process of law when no offense is alleged against him, as in the case of a witness who is held in a house of detention till a case comes to trial. One may be restrained of his liberty without arrest, as in an insane asylum; an individual or corporation may be restrained by injunction from selling certain property. In case of an arrest, an officer may secure his prisoner by fetters, by a locked door, or other means effectually to prevent escape. Capture is commonly used of seizure by armed force; as, to capture a ship, a fort, etc. Compare HINDER; OBSTRUCT.

   Synonyms:
   apprehend, arrest, capture, catch, hold, make prisoner, restrain, secure, seize, stop, take into custody, take prisoner

   Antonyms:
   discharge, dismiss, free, liberate, release, set free

   Preposition:
   Arrested for crime, on suspicion, by the sheriff; on, upon, or by virtue of a warrant; on final process; in execution.

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:3.5 / 4 votes

1. detain

   Synonyms:
   stay, keep, arrest, check, withhold, delay, restrain, embargo, stop

   Antonyms:
   liberate, expedite, accelerate, dismiss, loose, disembargo

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. confine, detainverb

   deprive of freedom; take into confinement

   Synonyms:
   restrict, hold, bound, restrain, circumscribe, stay, throttle, hold in, hold up, confine, delay, limit, trammel, enclose

2. stay, detain, delayverb

   stop or halt

   "Please stay the bloodshed!"

   Synonyms:
   quell, delay, bide, stick, stay, last out, confine, hold up, ride out, persist, check, rest, appease, remain, stick around, abide, retard, stay on, stay put, outride, continue

3. delay, detain, hold upverb

   cause to be slowed down or delayed

   "Traffic was delayed by the bad weather"; "she delayed the work that she didn't want to perform"

   Synonyms:
   go, live, stick up, stay, last, delay, confine, hold up, hold out, hold, sustain, hold water, live on, support, check, retard, endure, stand up, withstand, defy, survive

Matched Categories

1. • Check
   • Slow

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. detainverb

   Synonyms:
   restrain, stay, check, delay, retain, stop, keep back

2. detainverb

   Synonyms:
   confine, hold in custody

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "detain":

   detains, arrests, arrest, detention, nabs, incarcerate, apprehend, imprison, arresting, hold, stop, detained, nab, captures, arrested

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How to use detain in a sentence?

1. Samuel Alito:

   The Government must either :( 1) detain them,( 2) return them to a contiguous foreign nation, or( 3) parole them into the United States on an individualized, case-by-case basis, these options operate in a hydraulic relationship : When it is not possible for the Government to comply with the statutory mandate to detain inadmissible aliens pending further proceedings, it must resort to one or both of the other two options in order to comply with the detention requirement to the greatest extent possible.

2. Douglas London:

   Now, whether or not they're going to summarily execute, detain or' rehabilitate' people remains to be seen, i think because they have become so attentive to media and PR, they might take an approach similar to what the Chinese government is doing by putting Uyghurs in reeducation camps.

3. Tae Johnson:

   Given the unique needs of this population, we will not detain individuals known to be pregnant, postpartum, or nursing unless release is prohibited by law or exceptional circumstances exist.

4. The ACLU:

   We cannot allow racist and armed vigilantes to kidnap and detain people seeking asylum, we urge you to immediately investigate this atrocious and unlawful conduct.

5. Former ICE official Thomas Feeley:

   It's a lot like a hotel chain. You know ERO can tell how many beds are open at a current facility, and then the people in charge of that aircraft will reach out to the office and say, 'You know what, you have a hundred beds open, we’re going to send you a hundred illegal aliens,' what's currently happening now at the headquarters level, which again has never really taken place in the past, they're actually going through the detain dockets at these facilities and picking out cases they want released to clear out beds so they can ship them more illegal aliens.