arrest

1 of 2

verb

ar·​rest ə-ˈrest 

arrested; arresting; arrests

transitive verb

1

: seize, capture

specifically : to take or keep in custody by authority of law

Police arrested the suspect.

2

a

: to bring to a stop

Sickness arrested his activities.

b

: check, slow

Its growth was arrested.

c

: to make inactive

an arrested tumor

3

: to catch suddenly and engagingly

arrest attention

arrester noun

or less commonly arrestor

ə-ˈre-stər 

arrestment

ə-ˈres(t)-mənt 

noun

arrest

2 of 2

noun

1

: the taking or detaining in custody by authority of law

The investigation led to his arrest.

2

a

: the act of stopping

b

: the condition of being stopped or inactive compare cardiac arrest

Phrases

under arrest

: in legal custody

The suspect was placed under arrest.

Synonyms

Verb

• seize
• apprehend
• restrain
• jail
• detain
• grab

Noun

• arrestment
• raid
• apprehension

Examples of arrest in a Sentence

Verb

The police arrested him on drug charges.

The police officer said, “I'm arresting you in the name of the law.”

The drugs can't arrest the disease's progress, but they can slow it down considerably.

Noun

The police are investigating the case but they have not yet made any arrests.

She was charged with resisting arrest.

The information has led to the arrest of three suspects.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The Wisconsin State Patrol trooper detected signs of impairment related to drug use, administered field sobriety tests and then arrested and transported him to a hospital for a legal blood draw, according to the release. —Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025

For instance, Vianna Granillo was arrested on suspicion of violating a criminal protective order and possessing a small amount of drugs in 2022. —Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025

Noun

The restructuring brings in regional chiefs and supervisors normally stationed at the nation's borders to carry out immigration arrests inside the country, a move representing a departure from traditional immigration enforcement structures. —Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025

The brigade, which was created in 2004 and specializes in crime impacting individuals, made a wave of arrests in December 2024 and February 2025. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English aresten, arresten "to stop, halt (something or someone), come to a halt, wait, restrain, seize (a lawbreaker), take into custody," borrowed from Anglo-French arester (also continental Old French), going back to Vulgar Latin *arrestāre, from Latin ad- ad- (in Vulgar Latin marking or reinforcing transitivity) + restāre "to remain, be left unchanged" — more at rest entry 4

Noun

Middle English arest, arrest, borrowed from Anglo-French arest, areste, noun derivative of arester "to stop, hinder, seize and detain (a lawbreaker)" — more at arrest entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Phrases Containing arrest

• cardiac arrest
• citizen's arrest
• evade capture/arrest
• false arrest
• house arrest
• respiratory arrest
• under arrest

Rhymes for arrest

• abreast
• accessed
• addressed
• appressed
• armrest
• assessed
• attest
• backrest
• behest
• bequest
• caressed
• celeste

Kids Definition

arrest

1 of 2 verb

ar·​rest ə-ˈrest 

1

a

: to stop the progress or movement of

b

: check entry 2 sense 3, slow

arrest a disease

2

: to take or keep in one's control by authority of law

arrest someone on suspicion of robbery

3

: to attract and hold the attention of

colors that arrest the eye

arrest

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: the act of stopping

b

: the state of being stopped

2

: the act of taking or holding in one's control by authority of law

Medical Definition

arrest

1 of 2 transitive verb

ar·​rest ə-ˈrest 

: to bring to a standstill or state of inactivity

arrested tuberculosis

arrested labor

intransitive verb

: to undergo cardiac arrest

the … patient has arrested while being transported to surgery

—Wayne Fields

arrestment noun

arrest

2 of 2 noun

: the condition of being stopped

developmental arrest

see cardiac arrest compare cure entry 1 sense 1, remission

Legal Definition

arrest

1 of 2 noun

ar·​rest

ə-ˈrest

: the restraining and seizure of a person whether or not by physical force by someone acting under authority (as a police officer) in connection with a crime in such a manner that it is reasonable under the circumstances for the person to believe that he or she is not free to leave see also miranda warnings, probable cause at cause sense 2, warrant compare stop

— citizen's arrest

: an arrest made not by a law officer but by any citizen who derives the authority to arrest from the fact of being a citizen

Note: Under common law, a citizen may make an arrest for any felony actually committed, or for a breach of the peace committed in his or her presence.

— civil arrest

: the arrest and detention of a defendant in a civil suit until he or she posts bail or pays the judgment see also capias ad respondendum

Note: Civil arrest is restricted or prohibited in most states.

— custodial arrest

: an arrest of a person accompanied by or followed by taking the person into custody

— false arrest

: an arrest made without legal authority

called also unlawful arrest

Note: If a person is taken into custody, no matter how briefly, a false arrest is also false imprisonment.

— pretext arrest \ ˈprē-​ˌtekst-​ \

: the arrest of a person for a minor crime (as a traffic violation) for the real purpose of getting an opportunity to investigate (as through a search) the person's possible involvement in a more serious crime for which there are no lawful grounds to make an arrest

called also pretextual arrest

— unlawful arrest

: false arrest in this entry

arrest

2 of 2 transitive verb

: to place under arrest

arrester noun

also arrestor

Etymology

Noun

Middle French arest, from arester to stop, seize, arrest, ultimately from Latin ad to, at + restare to stay