1
as in arresting
to take or keep (someone) in confinement by authority of law
Police detained the suspect.
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2
as in delaying
to keep (someone or something) from proceeding or progressing
She sent word that she had been unavoidably detained. The plane was detained for hours due to inclement weather.
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Recent Examples of detaining
Those immigrants have long been considered a priority for arrest by ICE, including under Biden administration policy, which instructs the agency to focus their efforts on detaining public safety threats, national security risks and recent border crossers.
—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 30 Sep. 2024
That would involve a dramatic overhaul of Austria’s immigration system, registering all new arrivals and detaining them in specialist facilities.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 28 Sep. 2024
That promise appeared to be a tactic—once the protesters had disbanded, Khan began a crackdown, detaining hundreds, including the TLP’s leader, Khadim Rizvi.
—Madiha Afzal, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2019
Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 30 Sep. 2024
That would involve a dramatic overhaul of Austria’s immigration system, registering all new arrivals and detaining them in specialist facilities.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 28 Sep. 2024
That promise appeared to be a tactic—once the protesters had disbanded, Khan began a crackdown, detaining hundreds, including the TLP’s leader, Khadim Rizvi.
—Madiha Afzal, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2019
Thesaurus Entries Near detaining
Cite this Entry
“Detaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detaining. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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