unattached

American  

[uhn-uh-tacht] / ˌʌn əˈtætʃt /

adjective

1. not attached.

2. not connected or associated with any particular body, group, organization, or the like; independent.

3. not engaged or married.

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unattached British  

/ ˌʌnəˈtætʃt /

adjective

1. not connected with any specific thing, body, group, etc; independent

2. not engaged or married

3. (of property) not seized or held as security or in satisfaction of a judgment

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Etymology

Origin of unattached

First recorded in 1490–1500; un- ¹ + attached

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Explanation

Unattached things are not connected or fastened. People can also be unattached, which usually means they don't have a long-term sweetheart. If you pull apart two pieces of Velcro, they're unattached. If your tent comes unattached, or disconnected, from its pole, it may collapse. If you're a freelance reporter, you work unattached to a particular paper or magazine. When we say a person is unattached we mean they are not in a committed relationship. In the animal world, unattached means "free to swim around."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

unattached

Because age, termites and water had attacked wooden beams, the house sat unattached on its foundation; it has been reaffixed, and moisture levels controlled.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 7, 2026

With a staggering 30 million more men than women, one of the world's most populous countries has a deluge of unattached males.

From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2025

“All of the fear and the anxiety and the threat lingers unattached to anything,” Makari said.

From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2024

He also pushed for an ordinance that makes it illegal to possess an unattached catalytic converter without proof of ownership.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 1, 2024

The fog made things seem hollow and unattached.

From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien

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