Word
detain
Phoneticsde·tain, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈteɪn/
UK/dɪtˈeɪn/
Definition
v. to officially prevent someone from leaving a place, usually for legal reasons. It can also mean to delay someone so they are late for something.
v. to keep someone in official custody, typically for questioning or as a legal precaution; alternatively, to delay or hold back a person from proceeding. Transitive — requires a direct object.
Examples
“The police decided to detain the suspect for further questioning.”
“Customs officers may detain passengers if their travel documents appear to be fraudulent or incomplete.”
“The unexpected meeting at the office served to detain him just long enough to miss the final train of the evening.”
Examples
simple
“The police decided to detain the suspect for further questioning.”
contextual
“Customs officers may detain passengers if their travel documents appear to be fraudulent or incomplete.”
complex
“The unexpected meeting at the office served to detain him just long enough to miss the final train of the evening.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “detain” in context.
Verb
01. detain a suspect for questioning
“The police decided to detain the suspect for questioning regarding the recent robbery.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
02. detain the passenger further
“Customs officials had no reason to detain the passenger further once his documents were verified.”
verb + noun + adv
03. lawfully detain a citizen
“The court ruled that the officers did not lawfully detain the citizen during the protest.”
adv + verb
Noun
04. power to detain
“The new legislation grants border agents the broad power to detain anyone suspected of illegal entry.”
noun + infinitive
Preposition
05. detain under the act
“The authorities have the power to detain individuals under the Terrorism Act for up to 14 days.”
verb + prep + noun
Adverb
06. briefly detain the witness
“The security guards briefly detained the witness to take down her contact information.”
adv + verb
07. indefinitely detain prisoners
“Human rights groups criticized the government's decision to indefinitely detain prisoners without trial.”
adv + verb
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object. In legal contexts, it is frequently used in the passive voice ('was detained').
Real-World Examples
“But the Assam government invoked the National Security Act, a sweeping law that allows authorities to detain people for extended periods without trial, and his release was denied.” “The Qatari government denies detaining any Iranian pilots.” Etymology
From Old French detenir. Cognate with Italian detenere, Portuguese deter, Romanian deține, and Spanish detener.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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