What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
remand
Example
The judge decided to remand the suspect in custody until the trial. [remand: verb]
Example
The case was remanded back to the lower court for further review. [remanded: past tense]
detain
Example
The police detained the suspect for questioning. [detain: verb]
Example
The passengers were detained at the airport due to a security threat. [detained: past participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Detain is more commonly used than remand in everyday language. Detain is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while remand is less common and refers to a specific legal process.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between remand and detain?
Remand is more formal and legalistic than detain, which can be used in both formal and informal contexts.