what does detained mean

“Detained” means to be held or kept in a place against your will, usually by an authority , such as the police, immigration officers, or school staff.

Core meaning

In everyday English, to be detained means:

• You are prevented from leaving a place (like a police station, airport, or classroom).

• It is often temporary , for questioning, investigation, or control, and does not always mean “arrested” or formally charged.

Examples:

• “The suspect was detained for questioning.”
• “Students were detained after class for talking in the hallway.”

Legal vs. everyday use

Context| What “detained” usually means
---|---
Police / law| Held by authorities, often for a limited time, sometimes without formal charges. 358
School| Kept after class or in a room as a disciplinary measure. 7
Travel / formal| Delayed or held up, as in “I was unavoidably detained at a meeting.” 39

How it differs from “arrested”

• Detained = held temporarily, often for questioning or control.

• Arrested = formally taken into custody, usually with a charge and more serious legal process.

So if someone says, “He was detained by the police,” it usually means they were held and questioned , but not necessarily charged yet.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.