detain

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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 In tandem with the outgoing Biden administration, Trump officials worked to secure a three-phase ceasefire/hostage-release that saw the release of 33 captives that had been detained since the Oct. 7 attacks, including two Americans. Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2025 More than 2,000 people have been detained for participating in protests, expressing dissent or supporting the opposition. Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2025 But there seems to be a concerted effort to begin deporting Cubans en-masse, with hundreds of them being detained, or given deportation orders, during previously routine immigration check-ins. Alejandro Puyana, Time, 30 Apr. 2025 People need to understand he will be detained and he will be deported. KARL (voice-over): Our Sunday exclusive with Trump's Border Czar Tom Homan. ABC News, 20 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for detain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detain
Verb
  • He was arrested by the Rockwall Police Department for driving without a license and for not having an operator’s license.
    Brooke Taylor, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2025
  • When officers arrived on the scene a short time later, the victim and those who saved her were able to identify the suspect, and he was subsequently arrested.
    Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • The execution was delayed from its anticipated time of 6 p.m. ET as the United States Supreme Court considered Hutchinson's final appeals.
    James Powel, USA Today, 3 May 2025
  • The shoot was planned for 2022; however, the production was delayed due to financing amid the pandemic and later, guild strikes.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • At the time, he was apprehended by Border Patrol and turned over to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) before being placed with a sponsor in Memphis.
    Greg Wehner , Bill Melugin, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2025
  • He was apprehended shortly thereafter and agreed to do an interview with investigators.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • Officials seized less than 50 pounds of fentanyl along the U.S. northern border in the 2024 fiscal year, according to the AP, citing U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) data.
    Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Attackers could seize on the pattern by identifying nonexistent packages that are repeatedly hallucinated.
    Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Detain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detain. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on detain

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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