Detain is most often used with for to give a reason or length of time. Other prepositions may appear in different sentence structures rather than as fixed combinations.
Use detain for a reason, offence, or period of time. Detain in may refer to a location. Detain by, detain without, and detain at are not standard fixed patterns after the verb.
These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.
For introduces the purpose, offence, or reason for keeping someone.
For can also introduce a duration.
In can introduce the location where someone is held.
The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.
Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.
Use for when explaining why someone is detained.
✕ He was detained in questioning. ✓ He was detained for questioning.By usually introduces the cause or agent in the sentence.
✕ Police detained by suspicion. ✓ Police detained him on suspicion of theft.In gives a location; for gives a reason or duration.
✕ She was detained for a locked room. ✓ She was detained in a locked room.Without normally introduces a separate condition.
✕ They detained without him any explanation. ✓ They detained him without any explanation.Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.
Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.
Yes. For example: “Police detained the suspect.”
Yes, when at introduces a place, such as “detained at the border.”
Detain for gives a reason or duration, while detain in refers to the place where someone is kept.
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