1
as in apprehends
to take or keep (someone) in confinement by authority of law
Police detained the suspect.
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2
as in delays
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 detains
What are your rights if ICE detains you?
—
Laura Daniella Sepulveda, AZCentral.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Independent groups like Human Rights Watch say the Venezuelan government intimidates human rights advocates, arrests and detains protesters and harasses journalists.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2026
The Pinault family owns 42 percent of shares in Kering and detains 59 percent of voting rights.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2025
The play is set in the real-life town of Lumpkin, whose economy has become reliant on a private prison that detains immigrants.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2025
Laura Daniella Sepulveda, AZCentral.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Independent groups like Human Rights Watch say the Venezuelan government intimidates human rights advocates, arrests and detains protesters and harasses journalists.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2026
The Pinault family owns 42 percent of shares in Kering and detains 59 percent of voting rights.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2025
The play is set in the real-life town of Lumpkin, whose economy has become reliant on a private prison that detains immigrants.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detains
Verb
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Though the team immediately apprehends a suspect, the Marshals end up taking criticism from both sides.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
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Neighbors are now living in fear, looking on as ICE apprehends people of color across Minnesota.—
Jason Rantala,
CBS News,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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With annuals like snapdragons, removing flower stalks delays the formation of seed production and the plants send out more shoots.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2026
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Too much light in the evening — that extra hour from daylight saving time — delays that surge and the cycle gets out of sync.—
Lauran Neergaard,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Department of Damage Control arrests Trevor.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
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The sheer scale of an estate for sale in San Francisco’s tony Pacific Heights neighborhood — a residence spanning 26,000 square feet, or the equivalent of 10 average homes — arrests the imagination.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The result, investigators say, is a multi-jurisdictional maze—one that complicates oversight and slows accountability.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
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The trip feels oddly smooth, as the robotaxi cleanly shifts lanes and slows down to avoid hitting other vehicles and bicycles on the road.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Earnest and intersectional, the spoken word artist’s debut solo album seizes upon the power of club music to preach about gender equality, personal transformation, and communal uplift.—
Jesse Dorris,
Pitchfork,
25 Mar. 2026
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So, when Ozzie (Kyle Bary), a former child star, finds himself in a heap of trouble, Jax seizes the opportunity to spice up her daily routine.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detains. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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