On May 18, a young Japanese couple was arrested after their one-year-old baby was found wrapped in a plastic bag and dumped in a gutter.
Source: tatoeba (2269)
Arrested
/əˈɹɛstɪd/
Synonyms for "arrested" (173 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (35)
Strong matches (52)
detainedditheringdrivelingdroolingembryonicenchantedenthralledfailingfascinatedfixedgrippedguardedhalf bakedhalf-bakedhalf-wittedheldheld uphung uphypnotizedhypoplastic
Show 25 more words
idioticimbecileimbecilicimmatureimpededin a bindin abeyancein arrearin arrearsin checkin defaultin embryoin leading stringsin ovoin remissionin short supplyin the roughinadequateincompleteinfantinhibitedintermittentjammedlackinglate
Related words (86)
latishmaunderingmentally defectivementally deficientmentally handicappedmentally retardedmesmerizedmissingmongoloidmoratorymoronicneedingnever on timenot all thereobstructedon leashoverdueoversimplepartpartial
Show 58 more words
patchypent uppent-upraptreductionisticreductiverestrainedretardedroughroughcastroughhewnruderudimentalrudimentaryscantscantyscrappyset backshortshysimplesimplemindedsimpletoniansimplisticsketchyslobberingslowslowed downspellboundstoppedstuntedsubnormaltardyunblownuncultivateduncultureduncutunder controlunder disciplineunder restraintunderdevelopedundevelopedunfashionedunfinishedunformedunhewnunlaboredunlickedunpolishedunprocessedunpunctualunreadyunrefineduntimelyuntreatedunworkedunwroughtwanting
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: apprehend, apprehended, arrest, babbling, back.
- Sentence evidence is available for arrested, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from opengloss, derived_reverse, moby.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "arrested".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "arrested"
Keep "arrested" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "arrested" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "arrested", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "arrested" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
9 entriesMore specific
10 entriesarrested decompositionarrested developmentarrested growtharrested individualarrested polymerizationarrested suspectcell cycle arrestgrowth arrestmilitary arrestpolice arrest
Collocations
11 entriesarrested by policearrested developmentarrested for burglaryarrested growtharrested individualarrested on suspicionarrested on warrantarrested polymerizationarrested statearrested suspectpolice arrest
Inflections
4 entriesDerivations
6 entriesSample sentences
10 total sentences available.
When the accountant was arrested, rumour had it that it was for his creative bookkeeping.
Source: tatoeba (22461)
Rosa Parks was arrested, and the black community of Montgomery was shocked and angry.
Source: tatoeba (29452)
He was arrested by police after a TV chase in Osaka.
Source: tatoeba (39138)
Showing 4 of 10 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "arrested"?
Closest matches include apprehend, apprehended, arrest, babbling, back.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "arrested"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.