detain
verb (used with object)
to keep from proceeding; keep waiting; delay.
is detaining
-
present progressiveof detain (3rd person singular).present progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or state that is currently taking place in the immediate present.
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.
Instead, Pakistan is detaining and crowding Afghans in holding centers.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 9, 2023
The Biden administration is detaining far fewer migrants than the Trump administration did at its peak, when more than 50,000 people were in custody.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 1, 2022
But trying them has so far proved impossible since their potential crimes are unclear and because the Kurdish administration that is detaining them is not internationally recognized.
From New York Times ● Dec. 15, 2021
"Social media posts that CBP is detaining Iranian-Americans and refusing their entry into the US because of their country of origin are false," CBP spokesman Mike Friel said in a statement.
From BBC ● Jan. 6, 2020
“Harriet, thee is detaining me with thy clatter,” spoke Peggy with some sharpness.
From Peggy Owen Patriot A Story for Girls by Lucy Foster Madison
