1
as in to seize
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
the inept robber was promptly arrested by the off-duty policeman he had tried to hold up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stop
to bring (something) to a standstill
cryogenics is based on the idea that extreme cold can almost arrest molecular motion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to fascinate
to hold the attention of as if by a spell
the sight of the daredevil walking a tightrope between high-rises arrested area pedestrians and motorists alike
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in arrestment
the act of taking into one's control by authority of law
there have been only two arrests for driving while intoxicated in the county in the last six months
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cessation
the stopping of a process or activity
"hemostasis" is the technical term for arrest of bleeding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of arrest
Audrey McAvoy, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Another man was arrested earlier this week on charges of making threatening phone calls to the base days after the device was discovered, though investigators haven’t accused that caller of planting any devices.
—David Fischer, Sun Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2026
Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Authorities have identified her and plan to make an arrest but she had not yet been taken into custody at the time of publication.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for arrest
Verb
Under past administrations, most noncitizens with no criminal record who were arrested away from the border had an opportunity to request a bond hearing while their cases wound through immigration court.
—Audrey McAvoy, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Another man was arrested earlier this week on charges of making threatening phone calls to the base days after the device was discovered, though investigators haven’t accused that caller of planting any devices.
—David Fischer, Sun Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
In an arrest report obtained by PEOPLE, police allege Le Lievre began dating the girl's mother in October 2023 and remained involved with each other until early January 2024.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Authorities have identified her and plan to make an arrest but she had not yet been taken into custody at the time of publication.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for arrest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arrest
Verb
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Tisch said since Janury, police have seized more than 1,000 guns across all five boroughs, including 300 in Brooklyn alone.—
Adi Guajardo,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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The other option is to take control of the Strait of Hormuz by seizing a small island in the Strait that has an airport.—
Jamie McIntyre,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Asking the engineers to stop designing a firing squad chamber for the state of Idaho to execute death-row prisoners.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Apr. 2026
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The Yankees went a perfect 5-for-5 with ABS challenges in Monday’s 2-1 walk-off loss to the Mariners, but that didn’t stop Boone and company from barking at home plate umpire Mike Estabrook.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For decades, the Zeigler case has fascinated the public around the world, leading to television shows, books, documentaries and a variety of crime sleuths creating various conspiracy theories.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
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He’d already been fascinated by watching his daughter, Cassidy, play with a dollhouse.—
Eric Boodman,
Vulture,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The deaths mark the second fatal incident in two days involving the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, a peacekeeping force established in 1978 and which later monitored cessation of hostilities between the two nations.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Washington wants a complete cessation of Iran’s nuclear weapons program.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Most of the protesters were arrested soon afterward; Song was apprehended eleven days later.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
26 Mar. 2026
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They are indicted alongside four others, including Maduro’s son, who have not been apprehended.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The people killed were the latest fatalities among Palestinians in the coastal enclave since an October ceasefire deal attempted to halt a more than two-year war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Brandon Miller hit five 3-pointers and finished with 29 points and eight rebounds for Charlotte, which had its five-game winning streak halted.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Designer Michael Rider knows that his job is not to tantalize the world with his ego, a tendency that has brought us countless collections of oversized, lumpy garments that are unrealistic for people to wear, but to enchant them with terrific clothes.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The face enchanting enough to gain entry into this party of the Four Hundred.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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At least four similar apps were axed in the following days, including Eyes Up, a platform that archived videos of arrests, raids, and abuses by immigration agents.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
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Those MEUs typically have been used for missions like evacuations and amphibious operations that require ship-to-shore movements, such as raids and assaults.—
Annette Choi,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arrest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arrest. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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