Arrested describes someone who has been stopped or detained by authorities, often under legal suspicion or for investigation. It can also mean brought to a halt or prevented from continuing a course of action. In conversation, it frequently appears in legal or news contexts, and in everyday speech it can describe a paused development or plan.
US & AU accents are Premium
Unlock all accent variations
"The suspect was arrested by the police after the chase."
"Construction was arrested by a strike, delaying the project."
"Her attention was arrested by the sudden noise outside."
"The growth of the plant was arrested by a fungal infection."
Arrested comes from the late Middle English arresten, derived from Old French arrest, from Late Latin arrestare, from ad- ‘toward’ + s-‘stop’ + -ristus (not a standard Latin affix). The core sense moved from “to stop or hold back” to the legal sense of seizing a person under legal process. In English, arrest as a verb dates to around the 13th century with meanings tied to stopping, hindering, or detaining. By the 17th–18th centuries, arrest had become firmly established in criminal law terminology in several European languages, with the passive participle arrested entering common usage to describe someone who has been apprehended. Over time, metaphorical uses emerged (arrested development, arrested growth), extending the term from a physical act to a state of stagnation or delay. The word’s semantic field often reflects control, constraint, and interruption, both in literal law-enforcement contexts and in figurative speech across modern English. First known uses appear in legal and clerical texts, with broader adoption in general usage by early modern English writers. The suffix -ed marks the past participle form, indicating completed action in passive or perfect constructions. The term remains a staple in law, journalism, and everyday idiom.”,
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "arrested" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "arrested" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "arrested" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "arrested"
-ted sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
US: /əˈrɛstɪd/ or /ˈærɪstɪd/ in careful speech. The typical pronunciation in natural speech is /əˈrɛstɪd/ with the primary stress on the second syllable. Begin with a neutral schwa, move into a clear /r/ followed by a crisp /ɛ/ as in 'red', then a strong /st/ blend, and end with a light /ɪd/ or /ɪd/ depending on speech rate. Mouth: lips neutral, tip of the tongue rises to alveolar ridge for /r/ and /t/; the /st/ cluster should be tight but not flattened. You’ll hear a slight vowel reduction in connected speech. UK: /əˈrestɪd/ or /ˈarɪstɪd/, stress often on the second syllable; US tends to favor /ɚ/ or /ər/ in the first syllable in rapid speech. Australian: /əˈɹɛstɪd/ with rhoticity less strongly colored; keep the /r/ as a tap or approximant depending on speaker. Audio reference: try listening to native pronunciations on Pronounce or Forvo and mirror the syllable timing.”,
Two main pitfalls: misplacing the stress and mispronouncing the /st/ cluster. People often say /ˈeɪrɪstɪd/ or split the /r/ and /st/ too slowly, which blurs the crisp /r/ and /st/ sequence. Correction: hold a crisp, quick /r/ before the /ɛ/ vowel, then land /st/ as a tight cluster without inserting a vowel between /r/ and /st/. Another error is pronouncing the final -ed as a full /ɪd/ every time; in fast speech, reduce to /əd/ or /ɪd/ depending on the preceding consonant. Aim for /əˈrɛstɪd/ with a light final schwa or /d/ in rapid speech.”,
US tends to pronounce as /əˈrɛstɪd/ with a clear rhotic /ɹ/ and a realized /t/ before a light /d/. UK often reduces to /əˈrestɪd/ or /ˈarɪstɪd/ with less rhotic coloring in some speakers and a lighter /t/ or glottalization in rapid speech. Australian tends to maintain /əˈrɛstɪd/ with a flatter intonation and a softer /t/ depending on regional rhoticity. Across all, the key is the /r/ cluster before the /ɛ/ vowel and the /st/ sequence; the final /d/ remains voiced but may partially assimilate to a flap in rapid speech. Listen to native samples and mimic mouth positions for accuracy.”,
Because of the consonant cluster /rst/ between tense vowels and the final /d/. The /r/ is often tricky for non-native speakers if their language lacks a rhotic approximant, and the /st/ blend requires precise tongue contact with the alveolar ridge. The final /ɪd/ or /ɪt/ can also reduce in casual speech, making it easy to say /ˈæɹɛst/ or omit the ending. Practice by isolating /r/ and /st/, then blend quickly into /ɪd/. Focus on keeping the mouth in the same shape through the cluster to avoid insertions or vowels breaking the sequence.”,
No traditional silent letters in arrested. The word is pronounced with all letters contributing to the sounds: a-r-r-e-s-t-e-d. The r is pronounced, the t is a clear alveolar stop, and the final -ed results in /ɪd/ or /əd/ depending on the pace. The difficulty lies in coordinating /r/ with the tongue reaching the alveolar ridge for /t/ and the /st/ cluster. Practicing the sequence slowly then speeding up helps cement the rhythm without silent letters masking any sound.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "arrested"!
No related words found
