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
• pausing
• halting
• hesitating
• holding
• prolonging
• balking
• lengthening
• clogging
• deferring
• baffling
• holding back
• holding up
• setting back
• damming
• stretching (out)
• arresting
• terminating
• protracting
• repressing
• remitting
• holding over
• bottlenecking
• shelving
• concluding
• ending
• discontinuing
• cutting off
• holding off (on)
• suppressing
• stopping
• 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

Videos and photos showed French authorities deploying tear gas and detaining rioters while fires burned throughout Paris. — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026

An officer shot and wounded the suspect during a confrontation before detaining him. — Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2026

The agency representative, who responded from a general email address and did not provide their name, did not say whether ICE is detaining green card holders or what individuals with legal residency can do to avoid being detained by agents. — Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 6 Nov. 2026

Federal agents were still detaining undocumented immigrants across the state, and Latino residents — the state’s largest ethnic group at 41% — were suffering under the crushing cost of food, gas and housing. — Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

Police initially arrested two suspects before detaining three more on Sunday near Potchefstroom, about 120 kilometers (74 miles) west-southwest of Johannesburg. — ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026

In some cases, immigration officials are detaining kids after they have been placed with sponsors and are already living in their communities. — CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026

NorCal Resist alleges that on Tuesday morning Sacramento police officers conducted a traffic stop on lawful observers of ICE enforcement in south Sacramento, detaining them for 20 minutes. — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026

As bystanders rushed to her aid, a local barber pulled the driver from the car, detaining him until police arrived. — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026