Tom was given detention for talking during class.
Source: tatoeba (37095)
Detention
/dɪˈtɛnʃn̩/
Synonyms for "detention" (163 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (33)
Noun(13 words)
afterthoughtapprehensionarrestarrestationarrestingarrestmentbindblockblockadeblockageblockingbureaucratic delaycaptivitycheckcloggingclose arrestclosing upclosureconfinement
Verb(1 words)
Strong matches (49)
Noun(15 words)
constrictioncrampcustodydecelerationdelaydelayagedelayed reactiondetainmentdouble takedragdraggingdurancedurance vileduressease-offease-upfixationflaggingfoot draggingfoot-dragging
Show 14 more words
Related words (81)
Noun(14 words)
inhibitioninterferenceinteriminternmentinterruptionjailingjamjusticelaglaggingletletdownletuplogjamminus accelerationmoratoriumnabnegativismnuisance valueobstruction
Show 44 more words
obstructionismocclusionoppositionpaperasseriepausepickuppinchprisonred tapered-tapeismred-taperyrepressionreprieveresistancerespiterestraintrestrictionretardanceretardationretardmentsetbackslack-upslackeningslow upslow-upslowdownslowingslowing downslownessslowupsqueezestaystay of executionstopstoppagestrangleholdstricturesuppressionsuspensionterm of imprisonmenttie uptie-uptime lagwait
Verb(3 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: custody, after-school detention, afterthought, apprehension, apprehensions.
- Sentence evidence is available for detention, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
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 "detention".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "detention"
Keep "detention" 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 "detention" 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 "detention", 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 "detention" 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
7 entriesMore specific
5 entriesCollocations
6 entriesadministrative detentionarbitrary detentiondetention centerdetention facilitydetention orderpretrial detention
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
3 entriesTranslations
39 translations across 24 languages.
Bulgarian
2 entries- арестува́не noun (act or state)
- задържа́не noun (act or state)
Chinese Mandarin
2 entries- 扣押 noun (act or state)
- 拘留 noun (act or state)
Danish
1 entries- tilbageholdelse noun (act or state)
Dutch
2 entries- detentie noun (holding in one's control with no intention to possess)
- houderschap noun (holding in one's control with no intention to possess)
Finnish
3 entries- hallussapito noun (holding in one's control with no intention to possess)
- pidättäminen noun (act or state)
- pidätys noun (act or state)
French
3 entries- arrestation noun (act or state)
- détention noun (act or state)
- détention noun (holding in one's control with no intention to possess)
German
4 entries- Detention noun (holding in one's control with no intention to possess)
- Gewahrsam noun (act or state)
- Haft noun (act or state)
- Innehabung noun (holding in one's control with no intention to possess)
Indonesian
1 entries- penahanan noun (act or state)
Irish
1 entries- coinneáil noun (act or state)
Italian
1 entries- detenzione noun (holding in one's control with no intention to possess)
Japanese
3 entries- 抑留 noun (act or state)
- 拘留 noun (act or state)
- 拘置 noun (act or state)
Korean
2 entries- 구류 noun (act or state)
- 억류 noun (act or state)
Māori
1 entries- mauheretanga noun (act or state)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- fengsling noun (act or state)
Norwegian Nynorsk
1 entries- fengsling noun (act or state)
Occitan
1 entries- detencion noun (act or state)
Polish
2 entries- detencja noun (act or state)
- dzierżenie noun (holding in one's control with no intention to possess)
Portuguese
1 entries- detenção noun (holding in one's control with no intention to possess)
Russian
2 entries- аре́ст noun (act or state)
- задержа́ние noun (act or state)
Spanish
1 entries- mera tenencia noun (holding in one's control with no intention to possess)
Swahili
1 entries- kizuizini noun (act or state)
Swedish
1 entries- innehav noun (holding in one's control with no intention to possess)
Tagalog
1 entries- pagkabinbin noun (act or state)
Ukrainian
1 entries- затримання noun (act or state)
Sample sentences
14 total sentences available.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Source: tatoeba (554659)
He was given a detention for being out after curfew.
Source: tatoeba (684670)
He forgot to bring his homework, so he got detention.
Source: tatoeba (800851)
Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "detention"?
Closest matches include custody, after-school detention, afterthought, apprehension, apprehensions.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "detention"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.