Meaning & use
detained
Last updated
held back, delayed, or kept in official custody
See it in a sentence
The suspect was detained at the airport for questioning.
Sorry I'm late — I was detained by a phone call right as I was leaving.
A note on using this word
The base verb is 'detain'; in legal and news contexts, 'detained' usually implies temporary custody rather than a formal arrest.
Words with a similar meaning
heldconfined
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
released
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