Synonyms

detach

American

[dih-tach] / dɪˈtætʃ /

verb (used with object)

to unfasten and separate; disengage; disunite.
Military. to send away (a regiment, ship, etc.) on a special mission.

detach British

/ dɪˈtætʃ /

verb

to disengage and separate or remove, as by pulling; unfasten; disconnect
military to separate (a small unit) from a larger, esp for a special assignment

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

detachability noun
detachable adjective
detachably adverb
detacher noun
nondetachability noun
nondetachable adjective
predetach verb (used with object)
self-detaching adjective
undetachable adjective

Etymology

Origin of detach

1470–80; < Middle French détacher, Old French destachier; dis- ¹, attach

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

At home, her loving but detached father became more attentive to her.

From The Wall Street Journal

But its tradition-steeped premises have often seemed detached from changes to the world outside.

From The Wall Street Journal

The prime minister wants to sound upbeat without sounding detached.

From BBC

According to an individual who formerly lived there, the detached house is currently vacant, with the property understood to be part of probate - the legal process of dealing with a deceased person's belongings.

From BBC

“The best thing that could have happened to my son was him detaching from his father,” Mysterio said.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023