How to pronounce detained
Say it like dih-TAYND. Detained has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAYND).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce detained. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- TAYND
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Detained pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- dihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- TAYNDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of detained
American and British speakers say detained in essentially the same way: /dɪˈteɪnd/ in the US and /dɪˈteɪnd/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-TAYND.
What does detained mean?
- Delayed or held back; kept from proceeding.“The detained train finally arrived hours late.”
- Held in custody or confinement.“He remained detained pending trial.”
- simple past and past participle of detain How to pronounce detain
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with detained
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of detained.
Questions about saying detained
How do you pronounce detained?
Say dih-TAYND. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈteɪnd/. In British English it is /dɪˈteɪnd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in detained?
Detained has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAYND). Broken into parts: dih · TAYND.
Do Americans and Brits say detained the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈteɪnd/ and the British form is /dɪˈteɪnd/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.