detain

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

Example 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 Meanwhile, at the Istanbul Pride event Sunday, Turkish authorities detained more 50 people attempting to march as part of the government’s decade-long crackdown on the event. Philip Marcelo, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025 Now Guevara himself has been detained by ICE agents. Graciela Mochkofsky, New Yorker, 28 June 2025 Deputies arrived at the scene and detained a man who matched the description of the suspect from Thursday night’s stabbing. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 28 June 2025 There have been similar incidents across the country where immigrants at various stages of legal residency have been detained. Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for detain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detain
Verb
  • The men were arrested after a shooting in June on eastbound I-70 that killed 20-year-old Eduardo Alexander Alvarado Urrea of Silver Spring, state police said in a Monday news release.
    Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 1 July 2025
  • Fire Marshals arrested Lisen Pan, 42, manger of Everbright Trading Co. on Flushing Ave.
    Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Medical examiners ruled two other deaths in January and February to be from natural causes, but a Miami Herald investigation found evidence of substandard or delayed medical care.
    Claire Healy, Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
  • Unable to stop the march toward passage of the 940-page bill, the Democrats as the minority party in Congress is using the tools at its disposal to delay and drag out the process.
    Glen Luke Flanagan, Fortune, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • What To Know The Americans, who local outlet Yonhap, reported ranged in age from their 20s to 50s, were apprehended on Friday from a restricted area on Ganghwa Island near the North Korean border.
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025
  • He was apprehended by responding police officers a short time later.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • In 2024, the DEA seized more than 60 million counterfeit pills and nearly 8,000 pounds of fentanyl powder nationwide — enough to deliver more than 380 million lethal doses.
    Mark Michalek, Denver Post, 28 June 2025
  • Holding its 24th edition from July 4 – 12, the Swiss showcase for fantastical film, Asian cinema and digital creation has evolved in tow, growing from upstart to institution as outré fare and auteurs seized ever-greater opportunities.
    Ben Croll, Variety, 27 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Detain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detain. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on detain

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!