Detention and Holding pattern

Detention

Detention noun - An instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business.
Usage example: an inane joke about a bomb netted the airline passenger no laughs, only a two-hour detention that caused him to miss his flight

Holding pattern and detention are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Holding pattern" instead a noun "Detention".

Nearby Words: detain, detente, detent

Holding pattern

Holding pattern noun - An instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business.
Usage example: the couple has been trapped in this holding pattern for six months, as adoption officials create more red tape

Detention and holding pattern are semantically related. You can use "Detention" instead a noun phrase "Holding pattern".
Cite this Source
Holding pattern and Detention. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 22, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/detention/holding_pattern
Detention & Holding pattern. N.p., 2016. Web. 22 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/detention/holding_pattern>.
Holding pattern or Detention. 2016. Accessed July 22, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/detention/holding_pattern.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "detention" and "holding pattern" have occurred on timeline