Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb detain

3 senses of detain

Sense 1
confine, detain -- (deprive of freedom; take into confinement)

Sense 2
stay, detain, delay -- (stop or halt; "Please stay the bloodshed!")
       => check, retard, delay -- (slow the growth or development of; "The brain damage will retard the child's language development")

Sense 3
delay, detain, hold up -- (cause to be slowed down or delayed; "Traffic was delayed by the bad weather"; "she delayed the work that she didn't want to perform")
       => decelerate, slow, slow down, slow up, retard -- (lose velocity; move more slowly; "The car decelerated")