detachment

American  

[dih-tach-muhnt] / dɪˈtætʃ mənt /

noun

• detachments
  plural

1. the act of detaching.

2. the condition of being detached.

3. aloofness, as from worldly affairs or from the concerns of others.

   Synonyms:

   unconcern, indifference, coolness

4. freedom from prejudice or partiality.

5. the act of sending out a detached force of troops or naval ships.

6. the body of troops or ships so detached.

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detachment British  

/ dɪˈtætʃmənt /

noun

1. indifference to other people or to one's surroundings; aloofness

2. freedom from self-interest or bias; disinterest

3. the act of disengaging or separating something

4. the condition of being disengaged or separated; disconnection

5. military

   1. the separation of a small unit from its main body, esp of ships or troops

   2. the unit so detached

6. a branch office of a police force

7. logic the rule whereby the consequent of a true conditional statement, given the truth of its antecedent, may be asserted on its own See also modus ponens

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nondetachment
  noun
• predetachment
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• detachments
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of detachment

From the French word détachement, dating back to 1660–70. See detach, -ment

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Explanation

A state of being distant or standoffish is detachment. Your detachment might mean that you don't cry on the last day of school with all your friends — you're just not that emotionally involved. When you have a sense of detachment from your surroundings, you're a bit aloof or apart, especially in an emotional way. A more physical kind of detachment is an actual coming apart, when something breaks or separates: "The detachment of the wall and the baseboard made it hard to paint the kitchen." Finally, there is a military meaning of detachment — a unit or group of soldiers sent on a separate mission.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

detachment detachments

I listened politely, nibbling my onion petals in a state of Zen-like detachment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

Nevertheless, nail detachment and discoloration remained approximately two to three times more common among GLP-1 users after these adjustments.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026

Bush's apparent detachment was striking throughout all the court proceedings I witnessed.

From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026

For the first time, the city has also got its own detachment of mounted police officers, workers have filled in the potholes and manhole covers have finally been laid flush with the surrounding pavement.

From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026

Ishmael, at school, feigned detachment in her presence and ignored her in the casual way she gradually taught him to use.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

The military's statement said that box extended "up to the northern tip of Luzon, particularly Mavulis Island", which hosts small Philippine navy and marine detachments.

From Barron's ● Feb. 27, 2026

Group Captain Henton's biography on the RAF's website states that she "has served at RAF Stations in the UK, and completed worldwide deployments and detachments".

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2025

The small U.S. detachments are not authorized or equipped to fight a war against the guard or anyone else.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 5, 2024

"These measures will increase the combat capabilities and effectiveness of the armed forces and their volunteer detachments," Deputy Defence Minister Nikolai Pankov said.

From Reuters ● Jun. 11, 2023

They kept filling out in separate detachments into the afternoon.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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Related Words

• indifference
• neutrality
• objectivity
• remoteness

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