What does arrested mean?
'Arrested' is the past tense and past participle of the verb 'arrest', most familiar in its legal sense: to have been seized by lawful authority and taken into custody. It appears overwhelmingly in passive constructions such as 'he was arrested for theft' or 'she was arrested at the scene'. Beyond policing, the word carries a broader sense of stopping or halting a process — medicine speaks of a treatment that arrested the disease's progression, and psychology uses the established term 'arrested development' for halted emotional growth. The word derives from Latin roots meaning 'to stop by holding back', a meaning that survives in the medical phrase 'cardiac arrest'. Its tone is formal and neutral; it names a procedure rather than passing judgment. Because it spans law, medicine, and everyday speech, 'arrested' is a versatile and frequently encountered word.
Past tense and past participle of 'arrest'; to have seized someone legally into custody, or to have stopped or checked a process.
"Police arrested three men shortly after midnight."
Overwhelmingly used in the passive voice in legal contexts.
Describing someone who has been taken into police custody, or a state that has been halted or prevented from progressing.
"He spent the night in an arrested state before being charged in the morning."
The word 'arrest' comes from Latin roots meaning 'to stop by holding back' — which is why doctors still use 'cardiac arrest' when the heart literally stops.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of arrested
'Arrest' entered English from Old French 'arester', itself derived from Late Latin 'arrestare', formed from Latin 'ad-' ('to, toward') and 'restare' ('to stop, remain behind'). The original sense was to stop or hold someone back, which naturally developed into the legal meaning of taking someone into custody. Cognate forms share the same Latin root 'restare', including English words like 'rest' and 'restless'. The verb has been part of English since the medieval period, with its legal and figurative senses developing alongside each other.
Related word forms
How arrested is actually used
Most commonly encountered in passive constructions ('was arrested'). In medical and technical contexts, the sense of stopping a process is standard and carries no criminal connotation. 'Arrested development' is an established psychological term, though it has acquired humorous popular usage.
Easily confused with arrested
'Arrested' means seized or stopped, whereas the adjective 'arresting' means strikingly attractive or attention-grabbing.