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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Jacobs was arrested May 26 after police were called to his home to investigate a disturbance and was released from jail the next day. — Steve Megargee, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 Their condition was not immediately known, but police later said that they were arrested for DUI and booked after they were released from the hospital. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
Among the detentions are more than 7,000 arrests in Florida and 500 in Ohio, two states with populations of Haitians who previously had TPS. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026 The crisis sparked by those arrests forced him to resign six months later, paving the way for Infantino’s election as the organisation’s saviour. — Matt Slater, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for arrest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arrest
  1. seize
  2. stop
  3. fascinate
  4. raid
  5. cessation
  6. apprehend
  7. halt
  8. enchant
Verb
  • The Texas high school football season is underway, and several Fort Worth-area teams seized statement wins.
    — Charles Baggarly August 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026
  • But while the Jets’ defense piled up takeaways, the rookie quarterback failed to seize the spotlight during the 23-6 loss to the Giants.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of seize
Verb
  • And, there are lots of studies out there that show many in my generation have stopped believing in the promise of the American Dream.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • His government has implemented policies that slow energy permitting and development, canceled billions in grants for hundreds of clean energy projects and spent nearly $4 billion to buy back leases to stop offshore wind projects.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • The question fascinated David Hilbert, a renowned mathematician who had devoted much of his life to rebuilding physics on a sturdy foundation of crisp axioms.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
  • QAnon haunts Washington I’m particularly fascinated by the ghost of QAnon – how the theory continues to haunt politics today.
    — Matthew N. Hannah, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of fascinate
Noun
  • Last month, burglars stole millions of dollars worth of jewelry from the museum of French luxury glassmaker Lalique in a daring early morning raid.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • According to witnesses of the raid, local police and Canyon County sheriff’s deputies assisted ICE agents by zip-tying children and detaining people without asking about their immigration status.
    — Rachel Spacek, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of raid
Noun
  • Those commitments should be included in a framework agreement, signed by all sides, which outlines the core elements of an eventual peace and enables a cessation of hostilities.
    — Matt Waldman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Texas law defines brain death as the irreversible cessation of brain function.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of cessation
Verb
  • The Esquire piece covers a Texas district attorney named Bill Conradt, who died by suicide in 2006 when Hansen and Dateline’s cameras, as well as law enforcement, attempted to apprehend him at his home as part of an operation covered by the program.
    — Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The teens walked away from the wreck with few injuries and tried to run, but authorities apprehended them shortly afterward, officials said.
    — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of apprehend
Verb
  • Trade groups representing cities, counties and businesses argued the first provision would give tribes power to delay or halt projects, including those that had already been reviewed under the California Environmental Quality Act.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • But the index has stayed within 2% of the peak, the pullbacks so far halting a handful of points above what had been the top of the former multi-month range.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of halt
Verb
  • Pop music is enchanted with electric guitar this year between the Charli XCX and Olivia Rodrigo rock albums.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026
  • At first spritz, you’re instantly enchanted and uplifted by sparkling, tart notes of pomelo and yuzu.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of enchant

Browse Nearby Words

arrears
arrest
arrested
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Cite this Entry

“Arrest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arrest. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on arrest

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about arrest

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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