arrest 1 of 2

verb

ə-ˈrest How to pronounce arrest (audio)
Definition of arrestnext
1
as in to seize
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law the inept robber was promptly arrested by the off-duty policeman he had tried to hold up

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2
as in to stop
to bring (something) to a standstill cryogenics is based on the idea that extreme cold can almost arrest molecular motion

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3
as in to fascinate
to hold the attention of as if by a spell the sight of the daredevil walking a tightrope between high-rises arrested area pedestrians and motorists alike

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arrest

2 of 2

noun

1
as in arrestment
the act of taking into one's control by authority of law there have been only two arrests for driving while intoxicated in the county in the last six months

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2
as in cessation
the stopping of a process or activity "hemostasis" is the technical term for arrest of bleeding

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of arrest
Verb
Playboi Carti was also arrested, in February 2023, for allegedly assaulting and choking his then-pregnant girlfriend. — Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 14 Mar. 2025 Victoria, 32, was arrested March 6 on charges of solicitation to commit murder and conspiracy to commit murder, according to Clark County inmate records. — Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
Leavitt says the Department of Homeland Security is actively seeking more campus protesters to detain following the arrest of Khalil. — Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025 Protesters from the Jewish group occupied the ground floor of the building over the ICE arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate student and activist at Columbia University. — Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for arrest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arrest
  1. seize
  2. stop
  3. fascinate
  4. cessation
  5. apprehend
  6. halt
  7. enchant
  8. raid
Verb
  • The area around the strait in the past has seen Iran seize commercial ships and purportedly launch attacks since President Donald Trump first unilaterally withdrew America from Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers.
    — Graham Underwood, arkansasonline.com, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Both deals were first violated in 2014 when Putin seized Crimea and backed Russian separatist forces in the Donbas region.
    — Caitlin McFall, Fox News, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of seize
Verb
  • Here are 3 reasons why leaders – political as well as corporate – should stop talking about themselves and others as players in a game.
    — Pia Lauritzen, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Survivor host Jeff Probst explains why show stopped doing schoolyard picks to determine tribes Blind ambition Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
    — Dalton Ross, EW.com, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of stop
Verb
  • Their affair gives poignant momentum to The Deepest Breath, which is fascinated with athletic obsession.
    — Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2025
  • The grand monuments, enigmatic gods, and legendary rulers of Ancient Egypt have fascinated the world for centuries.
    — David Nikel, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Definition of fascinate
Noun
  • The Houthis and their Iranian benefactors saved face by insisting that the reduction in the attacks was inspired by the temporary cessation of hostilities between Israeli forces and Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip.
    — The Editors, National Review, 18 Mar. 2025
  • The group had accused Israel last week of violating the truce by cutting off humanitarian assistance to Gaza, where Israel then conducted a series of large-scale strikes late Monday despite the cessation of hostilities.
    — Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of cessation
Verb
  • Such actions can be more effective in apprehending criminal suspects then notifying, waiting for, and hoping for a timely response from the police.
    — Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Zoom in: The motion focuses on 22 people apprehended in the Midwest since Trump took office.
    — Monica Eng, Axios, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of apprehend
Verb
  • After court battles earlier this month, a federal judge temporarily halted Hoffman's execution by nitrogen gas last week, issuing a preliminary injunction to stop the state from immediately carrying out his death sentence.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Judge Boasberg temporarily blocked the Trump administration from using the law on Sunday, halting deportations for at least 14 days and directed that flights already in the air be turned around.
    — Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of halt
Verb
  • Even 75 years after its release, the timeless fairytale continues to enchant audiences with its magic and happily-ever-after love story.
    — Valerie Mesa, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Explore Tallulah Falls Cumberland Island Steeped in history, this enchanting Georgia barrier island feels suspended in time.
    — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2025
Definition of enchant
Noun
  • Drone surge The January double-tap attack was part of a wider wave of drone raids, reportedly the biggest of the 37-month wider war for the Ukrainians.
    — David Axe, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Rather than each episode being filled with heart-pounding action, the series establishes itself with a frantic, stressful raid on Jamie’s house and his subsequent arrest, then dissolves into a crime show that’s much more meticulous and robust beyond the thrills at the top.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of raid

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Cite this Entry

“Arrest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arrest. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on arrest

Nglish: Translation of arrest for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about arrest

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