What is another word for detain?
898 synonyms found
Pronunciation:
[ dɪtˈe͡ɪn], [ dɪtˈeɪn], [ d_ɪ_t_ˈeɪ_n]
Detain is a word that means to hold back, to prevent someone or something from moving forward. It is a powerful word that is often associated with negative actions. However, there are several synonyms for the word detain that can be used to lend a more positive or neutral tone to a sentence. Some of these synonyms include restrain, hold, keep, confine, park, grab, clutch, stop, delay, and arrest. Each of these words has different connotations and nuances that can be used to add flavor and depth to your written or spoken communications. So, depending on the message you want to convey, choose the synonym that best fits your intention.
Table of Contents
Similar words for detain:
- arrest (verb)
- bind (verb)
- bog down (verb)
- change (verb)
- confine (verb)
- coop (verb)
- defer (verb)
- delay (verb)
- hinder (verb)
- hold (verb)
- hold up (verb)
- hold, keep back; arrest (verb)
- imprison (verb)
- incarcerate (verb)
- jail (verb)
- keep (verb)
- nab (verb)
- nail (verb)
- restrain (verb)
- retain (verb)
- retard (verb)
- run in (verb)
- set back (verb)
- slow (verb)
- stay (verb)
- withhold (verb)
Synonyms for Detain:
-
v.
• arrest- de tain ,
- de tains ,
- de-tain ,
- de-tains ,
- glommed ,
- glomming ,
- gloms ,
- put arm on ,
- put cuffs on ,
- puts arm on ,
- puts cuffs on ,
- puts the arm on ,
- puts the cuffs on ,
- putting arm on ,
- putting cuffs on ,
- putting the arm on ,
- putting the cuffs on ,
- takes prisoner ,
- taking prisoner ,
- took prisoner ,
- toss jail ,
- tossed in jail ,
- tossed jail ,
- tosses in jail ,
- tosses jail ,
- tossing in jail ,
- tossing jail ,
- tost in jail ,
- tost jail .
- in denture ,
- in dentures ,
- in-denture ,
- in-dentures ,
- pre scribe ,
- pre scribes ,
- pre scribing ,
- pre-scribe ,
- pre-scribed ,
- pre-scribes ,
- pre-scribing ,
- puts half nelson on ,
- puts lock on ,
- putting half nelson on ,
- putting lock on ,
- re quire ,
- re quired ,
- re quires ,
- re quiring ,
- re strict ,
- re-quire ,
- re-quired ,
- re-quires ,
- re-quiring ,
- re-strict .
- cools down ,
- de limit ,
- de limited ,
- de limiting ,
- de limits ,
- de-limit ,
- de-limited ,
- de-limiting ,
- de-limits ,
- hog tie ,
- in tern ,
- in terns ,
- in-tern ,
- in-terns ,
- put ice ,
- puts a lid on ,
- puts ice ,
- puts lid on ,
- puts on ice ,
- putting a lid on ,
- putting ice ,
- putting lid on ,
- putting on ice ,
- re press ,
- re pressed ,
- re presses ,
- re pressing ,
- re-press ,
- re-presses ,
- re-pressing ,
- sending up .
- closes in ,
- co oped ,
- co oping ,
- co-oped ,
- co-oping ,
- fences in ,
- fencing in ,
- held captive ,
- held prisoner ,
- holding captive ,
- holding prisoner ,
- holds captive ,
- holds prisoner ,
- put under lock key ,
- puts under lock and key ,
- puts under lock key ,
- putting under lock and key ,
- putting under lock key ,
- shuts in ,
- shutting in .
- ex tend ,
- ex tended ,
- ex tending ,
- ex tends ,
- ex-tend ,
- ex-tended ,
- ex-tending ,
- ex-tends ,
- gave rain check ,
- gives rain check ,
- giving rain check ,
- hanged fire ,
- hung fire ,
- intermits ,
- laid over ,
- laying over ,
- lays over ,
- post pone ,
- post pones ,
- post-pone ,
- post-pones ,
- pro long ,
- pro longing ,
- pro longs ,
- pro rogue ,
- pro rogued ,
- pro rogues ,
- pro roguing ,
- pro tract ,
- pro tracts ,
- pro-long ,
- pro-longed ,
- pro-longing ,
- pro-longs ,
- pro-rogue ,
- pro-rogued ,
- pro-rogues ,
- pro-roguing ,
- pro-tract ,
- pro-tracts ,
- put back burner ,
- put hold ,
- puts back burner ,
- puts hold ,
- puts on back burner ,
- puts on hold ,
- putting back burner ,
- putting hold ,
- putting on back burner ,
- sets aside .
- bided time ,
- bides time ,
- biding time ,
- bode time ,
- de lay ,
- de laying ,
- de lays ,
- de-lay ,
- de-laying ,
- de-lays ,
- dilly dally ,
- dis courage ,
- dis courages ,
- dis-courage ,
- dis-courages ,
- gained time ,
- gaining time ,
- gains time ,
- holds over ,
- inter fere ,
- inter feres ,
- inter-fere ,
- inter-feres ,
- pre vent ,
- pre venting ,
- pre vents ,
- pre-vent ,
- pre-vented ,
- pre-venting ,
- pre-vents .
- baffle ,
- bar ,
- block ,
- bottleneck ,
- brake ,
- bung ,
- burden ,
- catch ,
- check ,
- choke ,
- clog ,
- complicate ,
- congest ,
- constipate ,
- constrain ,
- counter ,
- cramp ,
- crimp ,
- cripple ,
- curb ,
- dam ,
- deter ,
- drag ,
- entangle ,
- entrap ,
- fetter ,
- foul ,
- frustrate ,
- hamper ,
- hamstring ,
- handicap ,
- hinder ,
- impair ,
- impede ,
- inhibit ,
- interrupt ,
- jam ,
- obstruct ,
- oppose ,
- paralyze ,
- plug ,
- resist ,
- restrict ,
- snag ,
- snarl ,
- stop ,
- tangle ,
- thwart .
- Viseed ,
- Viseing ,
- corks up ,
- freezes to ,
- freezing to ,
- froze to ,
- keeping close ,
- kept close ,
- not let goes ,
- not let going ,
- not let went ,
- puts a lock on ,
- putting a lock on ,
- staid put ,
- stayed put ,
- stays put ,
- vised ,
- vising .
- bastilled ,
- bastilling ,
- held custody ,
- held hostage ,
- held in custody ,
- hold custody ,
- holding custody ,
- holding hostage ,
- holding in custody ,
- holds custody ,
- holds hostage ,
- holds in custody ,
- keep custody ,
- keeping captive ,
- keeping custody ,
- keeping in custody ,
- keeps captive ,
- keeps custody ,
- keeps in custody ,
- kept captive ,
- kept custody ,
- kept in custody ,
- locks in ,
- puts behind bars ,
- putting behind bars ,
- railed in ,
- railing in ,
- rails in ,
- send prison ,
- sending prison ,
- sending to prison ,
- sends prison ,
- sends to prison ,
- sent prison ,
- sent to prison .
- cooping up ,
- coops up ,
- send river ,
- send the river ,
- send up river ,
- sending river ,
- sending the river ,
- sending up river ,
- sends river ,
- sends the river ,
- sends up river ,
- sends up the river ,
- sent river ,
- sent the river ,
- sent up river ,
- sent up the river ,
- takes away ,
- threw book at ,
- throwing book at ,
- throws book at .
- threw away keys ,
- threw away the keys ,
- threw dungeon ,
- threw in dungeon ,
- threw the book at ,
- throw away keys ,
- throw dungeon ,
- throwing away keys ,
- throwing away the keys ,
- throwing dungeon ,
- throwing in dungeon ,
- throwing the book at ,
- throws away keys ,
- throws away the keys ,
- throws dungeon ,
- throws in dungeon ,
- throws the book at .
- de posit ,
- de posited ,
- de positing ,
- de posits ,
- de-posit ,
- de-posited ,
- de-positing ,
- de-posits ,
- dealt in ,
- pre serve ,
- pre served ,
- pre serves ,
- pre serving ,
- pre-serve ,
- pre-served ,
- pre-serves ,
- pre-serving ,
- re serve ,
- re served ,
- re serving ,
- re-serve ,
- re-served ,
- re-serves ,
- re-serving ,
- traded in ,
- trades in ,
- trading in .
- bear mind ,
- clinging to ,
- clung to ,
- handed onto ,
- handing onto ,
- hands onto ,
- held fast ,
- holding fast ,
- holds fast ,
- keep mind ,
- keeping in mind ,
- keeping mind ,
- keeping possession ,
- keeps in mind ,
- keeps mind ,
- keeps possession ,
- kept in mind ,
- kept mind ,
- kept possession ,
- re calling ,
- re calls ,
- re cognize ,
- re cognized ,
- re cognizes ,
- re cognizing ,
- re collect ,
- re collected ,
- re collecting ,
- re collects ,
- re member ,
- re membered ,
- re members ,
- re tain ,
- re tains ,
- re-call ,
- re-called ,
- re-calling ,
- re-calls ,
- re-cognized ,
- re-cognizing ,
- re-collected ,
- re-collecting ,
- re-member ,
- re-members ,
- re-tain ,
- re-tains ,
- retro spect ,
- retro spects ,
- retro-spect ,
- retro-spects ,
- retrospected ,
- retrospecting .
- bring screeching halt ,
- bringing screeching halt ,
- bringing to screeching halt ,
- brings screeching halt ,
- brings to screeching halt ,
- brought screeching halt ,
- brought to screeching halt ,
- chokes off ,
- closes off ,
- de crease ,
- de creased ,
- de creases ,
- de creasing ,
- de-crease ,
- de-creased ,
- de-creases ,
- de-creasing ,
- re duce ,
- re duces ,
- re-duce ,
- re-duces ,
- retardated ,
- retardating .
- threw in jail ,
- threw jail ,
- throw jail ,
- throwing in jail ,
- throwing jail ,
- throws in jail ,
- throws jail .
- de feat ,
- de feats ,
- de-feat ,
- de-feats ,
- embogged ,
- embogging ,
- embogs ,
- re verse ,
- re versing ,
- re-verse ,
- re-versed .
- anchored it ,
- anchoring it ,
- anchors it ,
- back water ,
- back watered ,
- back watering ,
- back waters ,
- back-watered ,
- back-watering ,
- back-waters ,
- backwatered ,
- backwatering ,
- eased off ,
- eases off ,
- eases up ,
- easing up ,
- hit brakes ,
- hits brakes ,
- hits the brakes ,
- hitting brakes ,
- hitting the brakes ,
- keeping waiting ,
- keeps waiting ,
- kept waiting ,
- lets down flaps ,
- letted down flaps ,
- letting down flaps ,
- loses speed ,
- loses steam ,
- losing speed ,
- losing steam ,
- lost speed ,
- lost steam ,
- re lax ,
- re-lax ,
- reduced speed ,
- reduces speed ,
- reducing speed ,
- reining in ,
- winded down ,
- winds down ,
- wound down .
- dis continue ,
- dis continued ,
- dis continues ,
- dis continuing ,
- dis-continue ,
- dis-continued ,
- dis-continues ,
- dis-continuing .
- clams up ,
- de duct ,
- de ducted ,
- de ducting ,
- de ducts ,
- de-duct ,
- de-ducted ,
- de-ducting ,
- de-ducts ,
- dis allow ,
- dis allowed ,
- dis allowing ,
- dis allows ,
- dis-allow ,
- dis-allowed ,
- dis-allowing ,
- dis-allows ,
- dummies up ,
- dummying up ,
- held out on ,
- holding down ,
- holding out on ,
- holds down ,
- holds out on ,
- keep oneself ,
- keep under hat ,
- keep under one hat ,
- keep under ones hat ,
- keeping oneself ,
- keeping secret ,
- keeping under hat ,
- keeping under one hat ,
- keeping under one's hat ,
- keeping under ones hat ,
- keeping under wraps ,
- keeps oneself ,
- keeps secret ,
- keeps to oneself ,
- keeps under hat ,
- keeps under one hat ,
- keeps under one's hat ,
- keeps under ones hat ,
- keeps under wraps ,
- kept oneself ,
- kept to oneself ,
- kept under hat ,
- kept under one hat ,
- kept under one's hat ,
- kept under ones hat ,
- kept under wraps ,
- re fuse ,
- re fused ,
- re fuses ,
- re fusing ,
- re-fuse ,
- re-fused ,
- stopped oneself ,
- stopping oneself ,
- stops oneself ,
- stopt oneself ,
- with held ,
- with hold ,
- with holding ,
- with holds ,
- with-held ,
- with-hold ,
- with-holding ,
- with-holds .
Other synonyms:
- throw .
- lock .
- commit .
- stall .
Other relevant words:
- Bogged ,
- Bogging ,
- Copped ,
- Downs ,
- Filibustering ,
- Gaffed ,
- Gaffing ,
- Incarcerated ,
- Indenturing ,
- Intermitted ,
- Intermitting ,
- Loitered ,
- Palmed ,
- Palming ,
- Prisoned ,
- Prisoning ,
- Prolonging ,
- Prorogued ,
- Proroguing ,
- Remanded ,
- Remanding ,
- Remitted ,
- Shelving ,
- arrest ,
- bide time ,
- bind ,
- bog down ,
- bring to screeching halt ,
- bust ,
- care for ,
- cared for ,
- cares for ,
- choke off ,
- choked off ,
- choking off ,
- clam up ,
- clammed up ,
- clamming up ,
- close in ,
- close off ,
- closed in ,
- closed off ,
- closing in ,
- closing off ,
- confine ,
- cool down ,
- cooled down ,
- cooling down ,
- coop ,
- coop up ,
- cooped up ,
- copping ,
- cork up ,
- corked up ,
- corking up ,
- deal in ,
- dealing in ,
- deals in ,
- defer ,
- delay ,
- downed ,
- downing ,
- dummied up ,
- dummy up ,
- encumber ,
- encumbered ,
- fence in ,
- fenced in ,
- filibustered ,
- freeze to ,
- gaff ,
- gaffs ,
- gain time ,
- give rain check ,
- glom ,
- hang fire ,
- hanging fire ,
- hangs fire ,
- held down ,
- held over ,
- hem in ,
- hinders ,
- hogtie ,
- hold ,
- hold captive ,
- hold down ,
- hold out on ,
- hold over ,
- hold prisoner ,
- hold up ,
- holds back ,
- ice ,
- iced ,
- imprison ,
- incarcerate ,
- indenture ,
- intermit ,
- interned ,
- interning ,
- jail ,
- keep ,
- keep back ,
- keep close ,
- keep out ,
- keep secret ,
- keep to oneself ,
- keep under one's hat ,
- keep under wraps ,
- keeping back ,
- keeping out ,
- keeping to oneself ,
- keeps back ,
- keeps close ,
- keeps out ,
- kept back ,
- kept out ,
- kept secret ,
- lay over ,
- lock up ,
- locked up ,
- locking up ,
- locks up ,
- mire ,
- nab ,
- nail ,
- necessitate ,
- nick ,
- not let go ,
- palm ,
- palms ,
- pick up ,
- picked up ,
- pinch ,
- prehend ,
- prehended ,
- prorogue ,
- prorogues ,
- protract ,
- pull in ,
- pulling ,
- put a lid on ,
- put a lock on ,
- put half nelson on ,
- put lid on ,
- put lock on ,
- put off ,
- put on back burner ,
- put on hold ,
- put on ice ,
- put the arm on ,
- put the cuffs on ,
- put under lock and key ,
- putting on hold ,
- railroad ,
- railroaded ,
- railroading ,
- remand ,
- remands ,
- restrain ,
- retard ,
- retardate ,
- retardates ,
- run in ,
- search ,
- searches ,
- send up ,
- send up the river ,
- sending up the river ,
- sends up ,
- sent up ,
- sentences ,
- set aside ,
- setting aside ,
- shut in ,
- slow ,
- stay ,
- stay put ,
- staying put ,
- stop oneself ,
- tabbed ,
- tabbing ,
- take away ,
- take prisoner ,
- taking away ,
- throw away the keys ,
- throw book at ,
- throw in dungeon ,
- throw in jail ,
- throw the book at ,
- took away ,
- toss in jail ,
- trade in ,
- ward off ,
- withheld ,
- withhold ,
- withholds .
- Sank ,
- Slackened ,
- hang up ,
- impeded ,
- slackening ,
- slackens ,
- slow down ,
- slow up ,
- slowed down ,
- slowed up .
- Closeting ,
- Stockaded ,
- Stockading ,
- bastille ,
- bastilles ,
- closeted ,
- hold hostage ,
- hold in custody ,
- imprisoned ,
- keep captive ,
- keep in custody ,
- lock in ,
- locked in ,
- locking in ,
- occlude ,
- put behind bars ,
- rail in ,
- send to prison .
- Harnessing ,
- Manacled ,
- Manacling ,
- Pinioning ,
- box up ,
- choke back ,
- corked ,
- corking ,
- crack down ,
- keep down ,
- keep in line ,
- kept down ,
- pinion ,
- pinioned ,
- pinions ,
- pull back ,
- pulled back ,
- pulling back ,
- pulls back ,
- sit on ,
- sitting on ,
- tie down ,
- tied down ,
- ties down ,
- tying down .
- Husbanded ,
- Husbanding ,
- Re-collect ,
- cling to ,
- clings to ,
- hand onto ,
- hold fast ,
- keep in mind ,
- keep possession ,
- retain .
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How to use "Detain" in context?
A detainee is a person who has been arrested or is being held captive by the government. Detainees are usually held in facilities called prisons or jails.
Paraphrases for Detain:
Paraphrases are highlighted according to their relevancy:
- highest relevancy
- medium relevancy
- lowest relevancy
-
Equivalence
-
Verb, base form
imprison, incarcerate.
-
Verb, base form
-
Reverse Entailment
-
Adjective
detainee.
-
Proper noun, singular
detains.
-
Noun, singular or mass
detainee, Detainment.
-
Adjective
-
Independent
-
Adjective
custodial.
-
Verb, 3rd person singular present
arrests.
-
Verb, base form
cease, confiscate, contain, delay, deter, discontinue, immobilize, lay, restrain, stem, sustain, withhold.
-
Adjective
-
Other Related
-
Adjective
arresting.
-
Noun, singular or mass
arresting.
-
Verb, 3rd person singular present
apprehends.
-
Verb, base form
apprehend.
-
Adjective
Homophones for Detain:
- dioon, dominie, deny, dodoma, domino, diwan, doyen, dana, down, daytime, dittany, dna, dominee, Duomo, dionaea, dynamo, daimon, don, donnean, dayan, dyne, dim, dahomey, dine, dame, diamine, Dona, diam, den, dama, doom, diadem, downy, Dodonaea, damon, dam, domain name, dm, denim, dudeen, demean, donee, diodon, damn, dun, dean, dummy, danaea, done, domain, diana, donnian, duenna, dominion, downy haw, dietitian, duodenum, dime, datum, diatom, donne, demon, din, daemon, doyenne, deaden, domine, didion, dead-on, demo, dawn, dine in, donna, dome, dune, danau, do in, deweyan, Dahna, dane, detainee, dayton, die down, deem, danu.
Hyponym for Detain:
Word of the Day
FEV
- Synonyms:
- bound bailiff.
