Common word› JLPT N2 › Freq. Frequency Top 100,000 Conjugation 引き止める · ichidan verb
Form Positive Negative Dictionary 引ひ き 止と める 引ひ き 止と めない Polite 引ひ き 止と めます 引ひ き 止と めません Past polite 引ひ き 止と めました 引ひ き 止と めませんでした Past 引ひ き 止と めた 引ひ き 止と めなかった Te-form 引ひ き 止と めて 引ひ き 止と めないで Desire 引ひ き 止と めたい 引ひ き 止と めたくない Potential 引ひ き 止と められる also 引ひ き 止と めれる 引ひ き 止と められない also 引ひ き 止と めれない Passive 引ひ き 止と められる 引ひ き 止と められない Causative 引ひ き 止と めさせる 引ひ き 止と めさせない Causative passive 引ひ き 止と めさせられる 引ひ き 止と めさせられない Volitional 引ひ き 止と めよう Polite volitional 引ひ き 止と めましょう Imperative 引ひ き 止と めろ 引ひ き 止と めるな Conditional 引ひ き 止と めれば 引ひ き 止と めなければ Tara conditional 引ひ き 止と めたら 引ひ き 止と めなかったら
Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 を 引ひ き 止と める to stop someone from leaving
She stopped her friend, who was about to leave, from going.
〈 人ひと 〉 の 帰かえ りを 引ひ き 止と める to hold someone up from going home
My boss held me up as I was leaving, and I ended up working overtime.
〈 事こと 〉 で 引ひ き 止と める to detain someone with something (a question, request, etc.)
He held me up with a question.
Related words 止める is a general verb for stopping any action or movement, while 引き止める specifically means stopping a person from leaving by persuading or holding them back.
留める is more formal and often used for abstract things like attention or damage, while 引き止める is used specifically for keeping a person from leaving in person.
阻止する means to block or prevent an action outright, whereas 引き止める implies a gentler, persuasive attempt to make someone stay.
呼び止める means calling out to make someone stop walking, while 引き止める means holding someone back or persuading them not to leave, often without shouting.
引き止める is a direct, interpersonal act of persuading someone not to leave, while 足止め can describe any situation—physical, official, or circumstantial—that keeps someone from moving on.
Don't confuse with 引き受ける (to take on a task or responsibility) shares the 引き - prefix with 引き止める but has a completely different meaning of accepting rather than detaining.
引き止める also ends in ...止める but means to hold back a person from leaving, whereas 食い止める means to halt the progress of something like damage or disease.
Written forms 引ひ き 止と める Usage 43%
Standard kanji spelling with high priority.
引ひ き 留と める Usage 20%
Alternate kanji spelling using 留 (detain/stop).
引ひ きとめる Usage 20%
Mixed kana-kanji spelling, common in everyday writing.
ひきとめる Usage 13%
Full kana spelling; useful for learners and when kanji is not needed.
引ひき 止と める Usage 3%
Abbreviated kanji spelling; also high priority.
ひき 止と める Usage 1%
引ひき 留と める Usage <1%
Etymology Compound of 引き (hiki, continuative form of 引く 'pull') + 止める (tomeru, 'stop'). Literally 'pull and stop', referring to physically or figuratively holding someone back from leaving.
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