2 syllables: de, tained. Stress on tained.
dit-AYND
/dɪˈteɪnd/
detained is pronounced dit-AYND (/dɪˈteɪnd/). It has two syllables (de-tained), with the stress on "tained". Detained refers to being kept in custody or delayed, especially by law enforcement or authorities. It implies a temporary restriction on freedom, typically for questioning or legal processing, rather than a formal conviction. The term can also describe a delay in a process or event. In everyday usage, it often conveys a sense of involuntary holding or postponement.
Detained refers to being kept in custody or delayed, especially by law enforcement or authorities. It implies a temporary restriction on freedom, typically for questioning or legal processing, rather than a formal conviction. The term can also describe a delay in a process or event. In everyday usage, it often conveys a sense of involuntary holding or postponement.
- You may neutralize the diphthong in /eɪ/ to a plain /e/ or /ɛ/ in rapid speech. Correction: consistently produce the /eɪ/ glide from /e/ toward /ɪ/ while closing the mouth for the /nd/ at the end. - The second syllable often gets rushed, leading to /dɪˈtænd/ or /dɪˈtend/. Correction: hold the /teɪ/ as a unit with a clear /eɪ/; avoid shortening or over-lengthening. - Final cluster confusion: some say /nd/ as /n/ or /d/ separately. Correction: finalize with /n/ immediately followed by the /d/ with no extra vowel. - In casual speech, the /t/ can become a flapped /ɾ/ or a weak /t/. Correction: keep a crisp stop /t/ to preserve the two-syllable pattern and intelligibility.
"The suspect was detained by police for questioning."
"Customs officers detained several bags for inspection."
"The flight was detained on the runway due to weather conditions."
Detained is pronounced /dɪˈteɪnd/. The primary stress is on the second syllable: di-TEIND. Start with a short, lax /dɪ/ followed by a clear /ˈteɪ/ diphthong, then end with /nd/. Ensure the /t/ is a crisp stop and the /n/ proceeds directly into the /d/ to form the /nd/ cluster. If you’re listening, you’ll hear a clean separation between the two syllables with a strong end consonant cluster. IPA: US/UK/AU /dɪˈteɪnd/.
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress (saying de-TAINED) and mispronouncing the second syllable as /ˈtiːnd/ or /təˈend/. Also, some speakers add an extra vowel, like /dɪˈtiːnd/ or reduce the /eɪ/ to a schwa. Correct approach: keep /dɪ/ before the stressed /ˈteɪnd/, ensure the diphthong /eɪ/ is clear rather than lengthened or shortened inconsistently, and blend the final /nd/ smoothly without introducing an extra syllable.
In US/UK/AU, the core is /dɪˈteɪnd/. US and UK typically keep the /teɪ/ diphthong with a rhotic or non-rhotic influence respectively; AU often exhibits a broader vowel quality with slightly flatter /eɪ/. The main difference is in the rhoticity of the preceding syllable in connected speech and the speed of articulation. All major accents maintain the final /nd/ cluster, but Australians may show a more relaxed offglide in /eɪ/ and a crisper /d/ release.
The difficulty centers on the two-consonant /t/ and /n/ in a tight cluster after the /eɪ/ vowel, plus ending with /nd/. The /eɪ/ diphthong requires a precise glide from /e/ to /ɪ/ or /ɪə/ in some dialects, and keeping the /d/ and /n/ in a single syllable demand careful tongue coordination. Additionally, the stress falls on the second syllable, which can trip learners who tend to stress the first syllable in similar words.
A unique aspect is ensuring the /teɪ/ portion does not become a long /tiː/ or a schwa. The two-syllable rhythm should feel like di-TEIND, with a precise onset on the /t/ and a smooth transition from the vowel to the final /nd/. This word benefits from practicing with minimal pairs where the vowel quality and final consonant cluster are contrasted against words like 'tained' (as in trained) to solidify the correct glide and consonant timing.
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- US: rhotic influence can cause subtle linking to /r/less or r-colored vowels in nearby words; keep /dɪ/ before /ˈteɪnd/ distinct. - UK: more clipped consonants; maintain clear /d/ onset and /t/ release; non-rhoticity means less rhotic trailing sound. - AU: slightly broader vowel quality for /eɪ/ and possible reduced emphasis on /d/; keep velocity steady and avoid vowel merging. IPA reminders: US /dɪˈteɪnd/, UK /dɪˈteɪnd/, AU /dɪˈteɪnd/.
Detained comes from the late Latin detentus, past participle of detinere, meaning to hold back. Detinere itself is from de- (away, off) + tenere (to hold). In English, detention originally referred to the act of holding back or delaying, then narrowed to legal custody. The form detained (past tense/participle) appears in the 17th century as legal language spreading to general use. The semantic field broadened from physical holding to delays in processes or proceedings. Over time, detained acquired common usage beyond law enforcement to describe any involuntary restraint or postponement, including school contexts (“detained after class”) and travel delays. The word retains a strong sense of compulsion or obligatory restraint rather than voluntary action, aligning with its Latin roots meaning “to hold away.” First known use in English appears in legal texts of the 1600s, with usage expanding in 18th–19th centuries into broader speech. Across centuries, it has maintained a formal tone compared to colloquial “held.”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "detained" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "detained"
-ned sounds
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