attachment

American  

[uh-tach-muhnt] / əˈtætʃ mənt /

noun

• attachments
  plural

1. an act of attaching or the state of being attached.

2. a feeling that binds one to a person, thing, cause, ideal, or the like; devotion; regard.

   a fond attachment to his cousin; a profound attachment to the cause of peace.

   Synonyms:

   devotedness, love

3. Psychology.

   1. an emotional bond between an infant or toddler and primary caregiver, a strong bond being vital for the child’s normal behavioral and social development.

   2. an enduring emotional bond that develops between one adult and another in an intimate relationship.

      romantic attachment.

4. something that attaches; a fastening or tie.

   the attachments of a harness; the attachments of a pair of skis.

   Synonyms:

   connection, junction

5. an additional or supplementary device.

   attachments for an electric drill.

6. Law. seizure of property or person by legal authority, especially seizure of a defendant's property to prevent its dissipation before trial or to acquire jurisdiction over it.

7. something attached, as a document added to a letter.

8. Digital Technology. a computer or electronic file sent with an email.

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attachment British  

/ əˈtætʃmənt /

noun

1. a means of securing; a fastening

2. (often foll by to) affection or regard (for); devotion (to)

   attachment to a person or to a cause

3. an object to be attached, esp a supplementary part

   an attachment for an electric drill

4. the act of attaching or the state of being attached

5. 1. the arrest of a person for disobedience to a court order

   2. the lawful seizure of property and placing of it under control of a court

   3. a writ authorizing such arrest or seizure

6. law the binding of a debt in the hands of a garnishee until its disposition has been decided by the court

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Synonym Usage

See addition.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonattachment
  noun
• overattachment
  noun
• preattachment
  noun
• reattachment
  noun
• self-attachment
  noun
• superattachment
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• attachments
  plural

Etymology

Origin of attachment

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English attachement “detention, distraint, seizure,” from Anglo-French; see attach, -ment

Explanation

Attachment is a sticky word: an email attachment fastens a file to an email, while someone who has an attachment to email loves email. Attachment brings things together. Attachment is a word that's equal parts mechanical and emotional. Many gadgets — such as cameras and tractors — have attachments that allow them to get more done, like a tractor attachment for plowing snow. People have attachments to bands, political movements, sports teams, hobbies, and each other. It's important for babies to develop attachments to their parents — this means they're bonding with their parents. Attachment is a lot like duct tape — it fastens people and things together.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

attachment attachments

“Don’t get too far down a path of attachment with anyone before you think about who you are and what you want,” Bobby says.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

The next week, Clark sent Epstein an email with an attachment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

People with this attachment style may seek frequent reassurance from those close to them and struggle with low self-worth.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

Dr Pascal Vrticka, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Essex, has spent nearly two decades studying attachment.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

“But we were in the neighborhood and...well, Billy seems to have this attachment to you, and I thought maybe you could help us.”

From "A Mango-Shaped Space" by Wendy Mass

I am loath to disclaim the power that comes with symbols such as the flag, words such as freedom, and the attachments that adhere to foundational inheritances such as, yes, the Constitution.

From Slate ● Aug. 3, 2026

Levine also argues that insecure attachments can in themselves be strengths.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

“This one is very powerful,” she told me before the session, holding up a translucent stick that she said she uses to cut unhealthy attachments.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026

The effect of AI attachments on a person’s other relationships also isn’t understood, but Alary’s experience shows an AI obsession can hurt loved ones as well.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 23, 2026

Students in a team-taught course save their papers under the name of the professor who assigned it, so I get a dozen email attachments named “pinker.doc.”

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Related Words

• affinity
• devotion
• friendship
• loyalty