Synonyms of detaining

detaining

verb

present participle of detain

1

as in arresting

to take or keep (someone) in confinement by authority of law

Police detained the suspect.

Related Words

• arresting
• apprehending
• seizing
• restraining
• jailing
• imprisoning
• incarcerating
• confining
• restricting
• limiting
• pinching
• nicking
• committing
• shutting
• capturing
• holding
• nabbing
• constraining
• nailing
• running in
• grabbing
• pulling in
• collaring
• locking (up)
• snatching
• busting
• interning
• trapping
• barring
• picking up
• handcuffing
• gating
• snaring
• jugging
• catching
• bagging
• grappling
• hooking
• immuring
• snapping (up)
• binding
• landing
• remanding
• shackling
• fettering
• getting
• enchaining
• manacling
• trammeling
• rearresting

Dissimilar Words

• releasing
• freeing
• springing
• loosening
• emancipating
• liberating
• loosing
• discharging
• unchaining
• unbinding

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.

Related Words

• delaying
• slowing
• blocking
• hindering
• retarding
• keeping
• impeding
• obstructing
• suspending
• blockading
• snagging
• stalling
• stemming
• extending
• halting
• pausing
• hesitating
• holding
• prolonging
• balking
• lengthening
• clogging
• deferring
• baffling
• holding back
• holding up
• setting back
• damming
• stretching (out)
• arresting
• terminating
• repressing
• protracting
• remitting
• holding over
• shelving
• bottlenecking
• concluding
• ending
• discontinuing
• cutting off
• holding off (on)
• stopping
• suppressing
• putting over
• putting off
• checking
• staying
• squashing
• stunting
• turning back
• laying over
• squelching
• stilling
• calling
• catching
• reining (in)
• pulling up
• bringing up
• stanching
• drawing up
• choking off
• fetching up

Dissimilar Words

• continuing
• persisting
• keeping (on)
• carrying on
• proceeding
• moving
• advancing
• keeping up
• running on
• marching
• progressing
• pushing
• stirring
• driving
• going along
• actuating
• following through (with)
• propelling
• spurring
• faring
• impelling
• wending
• goading
• budging

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of detaining

Federal officers frequently deployed tear gas for crowd control in neighborhood clashes with activists, often detaining them along with immigrants. —Sarah Raza, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026

The designation, announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, activates authorities created under an executive order signed in September that expanded the government's ability to penalize countries accused of detaining Americans for political bargaining power. —Camilla Schick, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026

The Iran Human Rights Center, based in Oslo, has documented multiple accounts from inside hospitals of security agents preventing medical care, removing patients from ventilators, harassing doctors and detaining protesters. —Sarah El Deeb, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026

In the past month, community reports began to surface online of immigration agents detaining and arresting people in the Kansas City metro. —Kendrick Calfee updated February 25, Kansas City Star, 25 Feb. 2026

However, the administration has been increasingly detaining immigrants with no criminal record. —Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026

Iran launched a fierce crackdown in January on mass protests, killing thousands of people and detaining tens of thousands. —ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026

Yet videos reviewed by CNN showed officers regularly detaining or threatening to arrest people who never appeared to cross that line. —Isabelle Chapman, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026

Police said the detective spoke to the man, spotted the firearm and confiscated it, detaining him until on-duty officers arrived. —Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 19 Feb. 2026