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

While detaining Taele, deputies found a 16-round magazine containing hollow-point ammunition in a pants pocket. — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2026

Authorities said detectives found a butane lighter and waterproof matches while detaining and searching him. — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026

The ruling was intended to stop agents from targeting Home Depots and car washes and detaining brown-skinned, Spanish-speaking day laborers. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026

Reports suggested that local police were surveilling and detaining people to prevent them from reaching the protest site. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026

Yes, Trump himself is just looking to benefit with crypto scams, making billions of dollars, but the white nationalists that are working with him are very happy to be detaining undocumented immigrants. — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 26 July 2026

After detaining the suspect, deputies determined he had been released from jail earlier Saturday following arrest on suspicion of possession of drug paraphernalia and public intoxication. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 26 July 2026

The rapid-response unit within the Hellenic Police and the Athens Police Directorate immobilized and disarmed the suspect, detaining the individual on the scene, police said. — Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 21 July 2026

DeSantis credited the site with detaining almost 21,000 immigrants and touted it as a model for how states could partner with the federal government on immigration enforcement. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026