detain

/dɪˈteɪn/

//dɪˈteɪn// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"detain" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“detain” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #22,056 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#22,056
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
13
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To keep something from proceeding or coming to completion; to delay.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

detain vs drain
67% similar
detain vs Devin
50% similar
detain vs domain
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for detain
PropertyValue
Headworddetain
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/dɪˈteɪn/
Letters6
Frequency rank#22,056
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs13
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “detain” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). detain lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for detain is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈteɪn/. Corpus data places it at rank #22,056 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for detain, with forms such as "ddetain", "deatin", and "detainn". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 13 confusable-pair relationships, "drain", "Devin", "domain", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French detenir. Cognate with Italian detenere, Portuguese deter, Romanian deține, and Spanish detener. The correct English form is detain, spelled D-E-T-A-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To keep something from proceeding or coming to completion; to delay.
  2. 2
    To keep someone from proceeding by holding them back or making claims on their attention.
  3. 3
    To keep back or from; to withhold.
  4. 4
    To put someone under custody.
  5. 5
    To seize goods for official purposes.

Etymology

From Old French detenir. Cognate with Italian detenere, Portuguese deter, Romanian deține, and Spanish detener.

This word in other languages

detener(Español)détenir(Français)verhaften(Deutsch)deter(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddetain,deatin,detainn,detani,detian,dettain,dteain,edtain

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of detain - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ddetain1deatin2detainn1detani2detian2dettain1dteain2edtain2
Edit distance from "detain"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "detain"?
"detain" is spelled D-E-T-A-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈteɪn/.
What does "detain" mean?
As a verb, "detain" means: To keep something from proceeding or coming to completion; to delay.
What words are commonly confused with "detain"?
"detain" is commonly confused with "drain", "Devin", "domain". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "detain"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "detain" is /dɪˈteɪn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "detain"?
From Old French detenir. Cognate with Italian detenere, Portuguese deter, Romanian deține, and Spanish detener. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “detain”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-T-A-I-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɪˈteɪn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “drain” - see the side-by-side comparison. detain vs drain
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list