Arrests — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ə-ˈrest/ ar·rest

Meaning & Definition of Arrests

Arrests (verb)

  1. seize, capture; specifically, to take or keep in custody by authority of law
  2. to bring to a stop
  3. check, slow

Arrests (noun)

  1. the taking or detaining in custody by authority of law
  2. the act of stopping
  3. the condition of being stopped or inactive
  4. temporary or permanent cessation of the heartbeat
  5. an arrest made not by a law officer but by a citizen who derives authority from the fact of being a citizen
  6. an arrest not justifiable under law
  7. confinement often under guard to one's house or quarters instead of in prison

Arrests (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: apprehends, busts (slang), collars, nabs, nails, nicks (British slang), picks up, pinches, pulls in, restrains, runs in, seizes
    related: bags, captures, catches, gets, grabs, grapples, hooks, lands, snaps (up), snares, snatches, traps, commits, confines, detains, holds, immures, imprisons, incarcerates, interns, jails, jugs, locks (up), binds, enchains, fetters, handcuffs, manacles, shackles, trammels, rearrests, remands
    opposite: discharges
    near: emancipates, frees, liberates, loosens, looses, releases, springs, unbinds, unchains

  2. to bring (something) to a standstill

    "cryogenics is based on the idea that extreme cold can almost arrest molecular motion"

    similar: brings up, catches, checks, draws up, fetches up, halts, holds up, pulls up, stalls, stays, stills, stops
    related: baffles, balks, blockades, blocks, bottlenecks, clogs, dams, detains, hinders, holds, holds back, impedes, obstructs, snags, stems, concludes, cuts off, ends, terminates, calls, discontinues, suspends, chokes off, reins (in), represses, squashes, squelches, stanches, stunts, suppresses, turns back
    near: carries on, continues, follows through (with), keeps (on), keeps up, persists, runs on, advances, fares, goes along, marches, moves, proceeds, progresses, wends, actuates, budges, drives, goads, impels, propels, pushes, spurs, stirs

  3. 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"

    similar: bedazzles, catches up, enchants, enthralls, fascinates, grips, hypnotizes, mesmerizes, spellbinds
    related: enraptures, entrances, thrills, beguiles, bewitches, charms, absorbs, engages, engrosses, involves

Arrests (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: apprehensions, arrestments, busts (slang), collars, pinches
    related: raids, house arrests, captures, entrapments, seizures, captivities, confinements, detentions, enchainments, holds, immurements, imprisonments, incarcerations, restraints, rearrests, remands
    opposite: discharges
    near: emancipations, liberations, releases

  2. the stopping of a process or activity

    "hemostasis is the technical term for arrest of bleeding"

    similar: arrestments, ceases, cessations, checks, closedowns, closes, closures, conclusions, cutoffs, discontinuances, discontinuations, endings, ends, expirations, finishes, halts, lapses, offsets, shutdowns, shutoffs, stays, stoppages, stops, surceases, terminations
    related: mop-ups, phaseouts, abeyances, breaks, interruptions, layoffs, letups, moratoriums, pauses, standstills, suspensions
    opposite: continuances, continuations
    near: extensions, persistences, prolongations

Related Entry: Arrest (verb)

Arrest is a different word from Arrests. The synonyms below are for arrest, not for arrests.

  1. 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"

    similar: apprehend, bust (slang), collar, nab, nail, nick (British slang), pick up, pinch, pull in, restrain, run in, seize
    related: bag, capture, catch, get, grab, grapple, hook, land, snap (up), snare, snatch, trap, commit, confine, detain, hold, immure, imprison, incarcerate, intern, jail, jug, lock (up), bind, enchain, fetter, handcuff, manacle, shackle, trammel, rearrest, remand
    opposite: discharge
    near: emancipate, free, liberate, loose, loosen, release, spring, unbind, unchain

  2. to bring (something) to a standstill

    "cryogenics is based on the idea that extreme cold can almost arrest molecular motion"

    similar: bring up, catch, check, draw up, fetch up, halt, hold up, pull up, stall, stay, still, stop
    related: baffle, balk, block, blockade, bottleneck, clog, dam, detain, hinder, hold, hold back, impede, obstruct, snag, stem, conclude, cut off, end, terminate, call, discontinue, suspend, choke off, rein (in), repress, squash, squelch, stanch, stunt, suppress, turn back
    near: carry on, continue, follow through (with), keep (on), keep up, persist, run on, advance, fare, go along, march, move, proceed, progress, wend, actuate, budge, drive, goad, impel, propel, push, spur, stir

  3. 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"

    similar: bedazzle, catch up, enchant, enthrall, fascinate, grip, hypnotize, mesmerize, spellbind
    related: enrapture, entrance, thrill, beguile, bewitch, charm, absorb, engage, engross, involve

Related Entry: Arrest (noun)

Arrest is a different word from Arrests. The synonyms below are for arrest, not for arrests.

  1. 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"

    similar: apprehension, arrestment, bust (slang), collar, pinch
    related: raid, house arrest, capture, entrapment, seizure, captivity, confinement, detention, enchainment, hold, immurement, imprisonment, incarceration, restraint, rearrest, remand
    opposite: discharge
    near: emancipation, liberation, release

  2. the stopping of a process or activity

    "hemostasis is the technical term for arrest of bleeding"

    similar: arrestment, cease, cessation, check, close, closedown, closure, conclusion, cutoff, discontinuance, discontinuation, end, ending, expiration, finish, halt, lapse, offset, shutdown, shutoff, stay, stop, stoppage, surcease, termination
    related: mop-up, phaseout, abeyance, break, interruption, layoff, letup, moratorium, pause, standstill, suspension
    opposite: continuance, continuation
    near: extension, persistence, prolongation

Related Entry: House arrests (noun)

House arrests is a different word from Arrests. The synonyms below are for house arrests, not for arrests.

  1. as in detentions, custodies

    similar: custodies, detainers, detainments, detentions, arrests, captures, entrapments, restraints, restrictions, bondages, enslavements, servitudes, captivities, confinements, immurements, impoundments, imprisonments, incarcerations, internments, prisons
    opposite: emancipations, liberations, manumissions, redemptions, releases, freedoms, independences, liberties

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Arrests

The most common words with a similar meaning to Arrests:

Slang: busts
British slang: nicks
apprehends, collars, nabs, nails, picks up, pinches, pulls in, restrains, runs in, seizes, brings up, catches, checks, draws up, fetches up, halts, holds up, pulls up, stalls, stays, stills, stops, bedazzles, catches up, enchants, enthralls, fascinates, grips, hypnotizes, mesmerizes, spellbinds, apprehensions, arrestments, ceases, cessations, closedowns, closes, closures, conclusions, cutoffs

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Arrests

Words with the opposite meaning of Arrests:

discharges, continuances, continuations

Related Words for Arrests

bags, captures, gets, grabs, grapples, hooks, lands, snaps (up), snares, snatches, traps, commits, confines, detains, holds, immures, imprisons, incarcerates, interns, jails, jugs, locks (up), binds, enchains, fetters, handcuffs, manacles, shackles, trammels, rearrests

Near Antonyms of Arrests

emancipates, frees, liberates, loosens, looses, releases, springs, unbinds, unchains, carries on, continues, follows through (with), keeps (on), keeps up, persists, runs on, advances, fares, goes along, marches, moves, proceeds, progresses, wends, actuates, budges, drives, goads, impels, propels

Word Forms of Arrests

Inflections: arrested, arresting

Derived words: arrester (noun), arrestment (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Arrests

Middle English aresten, arresten "to stop, halt (something or someone), come to a halt, wait, restrain, seize (a lawbreaker), take into custody," borrowed from Anglo-French arester (also continental Old French), going back to Vulgar Latin *arrestāre, from Latin ad- ad- (in Vulgar Latin marking or reinforcing transitivity) + restāre "to remain, be left unchanged" rest:4

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Arrests

What does "Arrests" mean?

"Arrests" means seize, capture; specifically, to take or keep in custody by authority of law. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: seize, capture; specifically, to take or keep in custody by authority of law. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Arrests"?

Other words for "Arrests" include apprehends, busts, collars, nabs, nails, nicks, picks up and pinches. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Arrests" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Arrests"?

There are 147 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Arrests". Common alternatives include apprehends, busts, collars, nabs, nails, nicks, picks up, pinches, pulls in and restrains.

What is the opposite of "Arrests"?

Antonyms of "Arrests" include discharges, continuances and continuations. Near antonyms include emancipates, frees, liberates and loosens.

How do you use "Arrests" in a sentence?

Examples of "Arrests" in a sentence: "the inept robber was promptly arrested by the off-duty policeman he had tried to hold up"; "cryogenics is based on the idea that extreme cold can almost arrest molecular motion"; "the sight of the daredevil walking a tightrope between high-rises arrested area pedestrians and motorists alike".

Is "Arrests" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Arrests" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Arrests"?

"Arrests" is pronounced /ə-ˈrest/ and divided into syllables as ar·rest.

What is the origin of the word "Arrests"?

"Arrests" comes from Middle English aresten, arresten "to stop, halt (something or someone), come to a halt, wait, restrain, seize (a lawbreaker), take into custody," borrowed from Anglo-French arester (also continental Old French), going back to Vulgar Latin *arrestāre, from Latin ad- ad- (in Vulgar Latin marking or reinforcing transitivity) + restāre "to remain, be left unchanged" rest:4. First known use: 14th century.