detain

verb
UK: /dɪˈteɪn/
US: /dɪˈteɪn/

  1. To keep someone in a place, especially a police station, and not allow them to leave.

    1. The police detain people for questioning sometimes.
    2. Customs officials may detain goods if proper paperwork is not provided, or they detain travelers if there is suspicious activity.

  2. To delay someone or something.

    1. I was detained by a phone call.
    2. Unfortunately, an unexpected meeting detained me, and I arrived late to the concert.

Synonyms

confine hold impound arrest delay
detain noun

  1. The act of detaining someone or the state of being detained.

    1. His detain was based on false information.
    2. The lawyers challenged the legality of his detain, arguing that it violated his rights.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "detain" in English means: To keep someone in a place, especially a police station, and not allow them to leave., To delay someone or something..

The phonetic transcription of "detain" is /dɪˈteɪn/ in British English and /dɪˈteɪn/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "detain": confine, hold, impound, arrest, delay.

Example usage of "detain": "The police detain people for questioning sometimes.". More examples on the page.