Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

false arrest

American  

noun

Law.
  1. arrest or detention of a person contrary to or unauthorized by law.


Etymology

Origin of false arrest

First recorded in 1925–30

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.

They received a settlement from the City of New York in the amount of $41 million after the Five had sued the City for false arrest and malicious prosecution.

From Slate • Oct. 23, 2024

In response to the report, Ton-That was apologetic, saying "one false arrest is one too many."

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2023

“More than one million searches have been conducted using Clearview AI. One false arrest is one too many, and we have tremendous empathy for the person who was wrongfully accused.”

From New York Times • Mar. 31, 2023

The lawsuit alleges Penn’s constitutional rights were violated by illegal seizure, false arrest and excessive force, seeking money damages.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 20, 2022

"That's all right, but supposin' he ain't the man you're after and he turns around and sues me for false arrest?"

From Quill's Window by McCutcheon, George Barr