1
as in arresting
to take or keep (someone) in confinement by authority of law
Police detained the suspect.
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2
as in delaying
to keep (someone or something) from proceeding or progressing
She sent word that she had been unavoidably detained. The plane was detained for hours due to inclement weather.
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Recent Examples of detaining
That includes detaining someone on the basis of their immigration status or the existence of an immigration detainer for them, or allowing ICE agents to access a person in detention, or providing information to ICE about someone's status.
—
Michael Smith, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
This granted local police the right to assist immigration officials in arresting and detaining unauthorized immigrants.
—Menika Dirkson, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026
The bill would bar local law enforcement from detaining people on behalf of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as well as sharing personal data and other resources for federal immigration enforcement.
—Dennis Valera, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
The hearing follows a Justice Department request from last month to dissolve a preliminary injunction barring the government from re-detaining Abrego Garcia, so he can be deported to the West African nation of Liberia.
—Laura Romero, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
That’s when the Israeli troops stationed a few hundred yards down the road come into this mountain village less than a mile from Lebanon’s border with Israel, searching houses and detaining residents at will.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Immigration agents are also detaining children, like 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, who was picked up in Minnesota, held at an ICE facility in Texas and released following a judge's order.
—Leila Fadel, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026
The harms of detaining children are known and well documented.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
After the hearing, Gorman’s family released a statement commending the judge for detaining Medina.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Michael Smith, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
This granted local police the right to assist immigration officials in arresting and detaining unauthorized immigrants.
—Menika Dirkson, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026
The bill would bar local law enforcement from detaining people on behalf of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as well as sharing personal data and other resources for federal immigration enforcement.
—Dennis Valera, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
The hearing follows a Justice Department request from last month to dissolve a preliminary injunction barring the government from re-detaining Abrego Garcia, so he can be deported to the West African nation of Liberia.
—Laura Romero, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
That’s when the Israeli troops stationed a few hundred yards down the road come into this mountain village less than a mile from Lebanon’s border with Israel, searching houses and detaining residents at will.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Immigration agents are also detaining children, like 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, who was picked up in Minnesota, held at an ICE facility in Texas and released following a judge's order.
—Leila Fadel, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026
The harms of detaining children are known and well documented.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
After the hearing, Gorman’s family released a statement commending the judge for detaining Medina.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detaining
Verb
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Game warden testifies about arresting Horner Texas Game Warden Josh Espinoza was the first witness to testify on Wednesday morning.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
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This granted local police the right to assist immigration officials in arresting and detaining unauthorized immigrants.—
Menika Dirkson,
The Conversation,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Emergency managers from several states say the funding backlog is having a ripple effect in communities, straining local budgets and delaying or potentially derailing disaster projects that have taken years to plan.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
10 Apr. 2026
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At the time, ICE blamed weather conditions for delaying transfers.—
Dennis Valera,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Fort Worth police officer Bobbie Sanchez, who was elbowed in the jaw while apprehending a suspect, told the Star-Telegram there was not a single oral surgeon in the city’s network who could treat her injuries, which delayed her recovery.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Mar. 2026
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That process has effectively scared many people away from filling out paperwork to recertify with Medi-Cal due to fears of being outed by the federal government, which is cracking down on undocumented immigrants by apprehending and deporting them.—
Pat Maio,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Her business is seizing the moment as AI radically transforms workflows, including that of lawyers, but her initial passion for the career came much earlier in life.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
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Targeting property Iran’s judiciary has begun seizing the property of public figures critical of the country’s rulers, under an anti-espionage law approved during last year’s 12-day war with Israel that punishes media and cultural activities deemed to support Iran’s enemies.—
Amir-Hussein Radjy,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detaining. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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