Arrested vs He was captured by two detectives

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Arrested

Top 1,000 (very common)

He was captured by two detectives

Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Arrested
 ArrestedHe was captured by two detectives
Pronunciation🇬🇧 //əˈrɛstɪd//🇺🇸 //əˈrɛstɪd//🇬🇧 //hiː wəz ˈkæptʃəd baɪ tuː dɪˈtɛktɪvz//🇺🇸 //hi wəz ˈkæpʧərd baɪ tu ː dɪˈtɛktɪvz//
MeaningTaken by the police because of a crime.He was caught by two police officers.
ExampleThe suspect was arrested after the police found evidence of the crime.After a long chase, he was captured by two detectives.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 2,000 (common)
Collocationsarrested for a crime, arrested by police, arrested without a warrant, arrested on suspicion, arrested during a raidsuddenly captured, easily captured, captured by authorities
Antonymsreleased, freed, liberatedreleased, escaped, freed, liberated
Common mistakesConfused with 'detained'; 'arrested' implies formal charge., Use of 'arrested' in non-legal contexts is rare., Incorrect verb tense, e.g., saying 'was arresting' instead of 'was arrested'.Using 'captured' instead of 'caught' interchangeably., Forgetting the preposition 'by'., Confusing passive and active voice.
Usage notesUsed in legal contexts; less common in everyday conversation unless discussing crime. Not typically used in a figurative sense.Commonly used in both spoken and written contexts, particularly in crime-related narratives. Avoid in very casual conversations.

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Arrested
He was captured by two detectives

Frequently asked questions: Arrested vs He was captured by two detectives

What's the difference between Arrested and He was captured by two detectives?

Arrested: Taken by the police because of a crime. He was captured by two detectives: He was caught by two police officers.

Which is more common: Arrested and He was captured by two detectives?

Arrested is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Arrested: The suspect was arrested after the police found evidence of the crime. He was captured by two detectives: After a long chase, he was captured by two detectives.

Can I use Arrested and He was captured by two detectives interchangeably?

Not always. Arrested and He was captured by two detectives are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.