detain
gb/dɪtˈeɪn/ us/dɪtˈeɪn/
B2
English
~ 8400
Senses
0 senses
Verb
formal
C1
action
1
keep someone in official custody
to keep someone somewhere by law or by force so they cannot leave, usually by the police or other officials
Usage pattern:
to detain [someone] (by/at [place])
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "detain" for everyday situations without authority, such as *"My friend detained me at the café"*. In normal friendly situations, "keep" or "hold up" is more natural (e.g., "My friend kept me at the café" / "My friend held me up at the café"). "Detain" is mostly used for police, immigration, prison, or similar official contexts.
Synonyms
hold (Often used in similar legal or police contexts; slightly broader and less formal than "detain".)
|
arrest (Implies formally charging or beginning legal process; "detain" can be temporary and may occur without a full arrest.)
Antonyms
release (Means to let someone go free from custody or control, the opposite of keeping them detained.)
Collocations
detain a suspect
|detain in custody
|detain without charge
|detain for questioning
|immigration officials detained
|detain indefinitely
Themes
law
|crime
|government
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Police detained three suspects in connection with the robbery.
- The journalist was detained by security forces at the airport.
- Immigration officers detained the man while they checked his documents.
- Protesters were detained in custody overnight and released the next morning.
- Several migrants were detained without charge under the new emergency law.
Learner examples
- The police detained the driver after the accident.
- She was detained at the airport for five hours.
- Two men were detained by the police for questioning.
- The officer detained him until his identity was clear.
- They were detained in custody until the trial.
Verb
formal
B2
action
2
delay someone from leaving or acting
to stop someone from leaving or doing something for a short time, usually in a polite or formal way
Usage pattern:
to detain [someone] (for [time])
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "detain" with non-person subjects, like *"The traffic detained the bus"*. In modern English, we usually say "The traffic delayed the bus" and use "detain" mainly when a person or meeting keeps another person from leaving. Also, this sense is formal; in everyday speech, "hold up" or "keep" is more common (e.g., "Sorry to hold you up" / "Sorry to keep you").
Synonyms
delay (General term; "detain" sounds more formal and is used especially when politely talking about holding someone up.)
Antonyms
let go (Means to allow someone to leave or continue, the opposite of holding or delaying them.)
Collocations
sorry to detain you
|detain you any longer
|detain you for a moment
|detain us too long
|detain her at the office
Themes
work
|time
|communication
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I won’t detain you any longer; thank you for your time.
- A last-minute meeting detained her at the office.
- Unexpected questions from the audience detained the speaker after the event.
- He was detained by a phone call and missed his train.
- If I may detain you for a moment, I have one more question.
Learner examples
- I am sorry to detain you after class.
- A long call detained him at work.
- The manager detained us for ten more minutes.
- I do not want to detain you too long.
- She was detained by a problem at home.
Grammar
Dictionary form
detain
IPA
GB/dɪtˈeɪn/
US/dɪtˈeɪn/
Syllables & stress
de - tain (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tain)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: detain
- 3rd Person Singular: detains
- Present Participle: detaining
- Past: detained
Word family
Expressions
be detained at the border
1/bˈi dɪtˈeɪnd ˈæt ðə bˈɔɹdɚ/
fixed phrase
formal
stopped and held at a border
to be stopped and kept for some time by immigration or customs officers when you try to enter or leave a country
Examples
- Several travelers were detained at the border over visa issues.
- He was detained at the border while officers checked his documents.
- Refugees reported being detained at the border for days.
be detained by the police
1/bˈi dɪtˈeɪnd bˈaɪ ðə pəlˈis/
fixed phrase
formal
kept or held by the police
to be stopped and kept by police officers so you cannot leave freely
Examples
- He was detained by the police after failing a breath test.
- Several fans were detained by the police following the match.
- She was detained by the police but released later that evening.
be detained for questioning
1/bˈi dɪtˈeɪnd fɚ kwˈɛst͡ʃənɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
held so police can question you
to be kept by the police or other officials so that they can ask you many questions about something that happened
Examples
- Two witnesses were detained for questioning after the explosion.
- The driver was detained for questioning but later released.
- Several people are being detained for questioning in connection with the case.
be detained in custody
1/bˈi dɪtˈeɪnd ˈɪn kˈʌstədi/
fixed phrase
formal
be kept in legal custody
to be kept in a police station, prison, or similar place by law and not be free to leave
Examples
- The suspect is currently being detained in custody at the central police station.
- Three teenagers are detained in custody while officers continue their investigation.
- He was detained in custody overnight and appeared in court the next morning.
be detained without charge
1/bˈi dɪtˈeɪnd wɪðˈaʊt t͡ʃˈɑɹd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
formal
kept in custody with no charge
to be held by the police or other officials even though they have not yet said exactly what crime you are accused of
Examples
- Several activists were detained without charge after the protest.
- The organization condemned the decision to detain people without charge for more than 48 hours.
- Under the new law, suspects can be detained without charge for extended periods.
sorry to detain you
1/sˈɑɹi tə dɪtˈeɪn jˈu/
fixed phrase
formal
polite apology for delaying someone
a polite way to say you are sorry for making someone stay longer or wait when they wanted to leave
Examples
- I’m sorry to detain you, but could I ask one more question?
- Sorry to detain you; I know you’re in a hurry.
- Sorry to detain you after the meeting, but there’s one more issue to discuss.