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detain

[dih-tayn] / dɪˈteɪn /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

This is evidenced by the fact that the government did not seek to detain either defendant.

From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2026

They said ICE agents used a private parking lot when preparing to detain Oscar Belgal in Marble Hill.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

The organisation said wardens did not have powers to stop or detain individuals, but continued to work alongside partners including West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

They find various reasons to detain it, no matter how new the vessel is or its actual condition, say seafarers and one ship manager who work on vessels regularly going to Chinese ports.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

“We will not detain you further, Madame. You see, it was not so very terrible.”

From "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie

Speaking to shareholders during a private meeting last year, the CEO of Akima’s parent company, John Aġnaaqłuk Lincoln, said the company cares about the welfare of the people it detains nationwide.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 14, 2026

Marine, temporarily detains someone, the question is: Is that person free to go?

From Slate ● Sep. 3, 2025

In the first video I watched, a man in an unmarked car detains another man sitting on a bus bench in Pasadena.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 20, 2025

Apparently, the administration is casting a very wide net as it detains and deports people.

From Salon ● May 25, 2025

How very kind Mr. Brooke is, and how fortunate that Mr. Laurence’s business detains him near you so long, since he is so useful to you and Father.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

Coast Guard detained a cruise ship in Miami, prompting operator MSC Cruises to cancel a sailing after travelers had already boarded.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

Au, detained in July 2025 and whose closed-door trial concluded in September in three days, was found guilty of "subversion against the political power of the State" among other offences, a court statement said.

From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026

The agents then arrest the defendant, bring them before the judge, and, almost always, ask that the defendant be detained.

From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2026

She was given two more lèse majesté charges in 2022, and detained before being released on bail.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

In January 1919, after the police detained Middleton and his companion, the private detective interrogated them.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

But behind that agent was the other one who’d been detaining the pedestrian.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026

The boom comes despite a rise in resource nationalism, with local officials seizing assets and detaining executives to secure a larger share of the profits.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

Authorities mounted a sweeping security operation across the capital on Saturday, detaining thousands to prevent protesters from gathering at Delhi's Jantar Mantar protest site, the CJP and Indian media reports said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2026

Is DHS legally obligated to disclose where they are detaining someone?

From Slate ● Sep. 24, 2026

“We had better move on, Mr. Weston,” said she, “we are detaining the girls.”

From "Emma" by Jane Austen


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