attach

Definition of attachnext
1
2
3
as in to confiscate
to take ownership or control of (something) by right of one's authority attached the house for nonpayment of property taxes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word attach distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of attach are affix, fasten, and fix. While all these words mean "to make something stay firmly in place," attach suggests a connecting or uniting by a bond, link, or tie in order to keep things together.

attach the W-2 form here

When could affix be used to replace attach?

The words affix and attach can be used in similar contexts, but affix implies an imposing of one thing on another by gluing, impressing, or nailing.

affix your address label here

Where would fasten be a reasonable alternative to attach?

In some situations, the words fasten and attach are roughly equivalent. However, fasten implies an action such as tying, buttoning, nailing, locking, or otherwise securing.

fasten the reins to a post

When is it sensible to use fix instead of attach?

The synonyms fix and attach are sometimes interchangeable, but fix usually implies a driving in, implanting, or embedding.

fixed the stake in the ground

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of attach Or rather, a museum with a remarkable, warmhearted community center attached. Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2026 The Universal Tag Tracker attaches to keys, bags, backpacks, wallets, and more, and each comes with a silicone case and carabiner. ABC News, 13 June 2026 At the center of the dispute are the safety guardrails and operational limits attached to Anthropic’s models. Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 13 June 2026 Otherwise, the car won’t back up with the rack attached. John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs and Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast, Hartford Courant, 13 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for attach
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attach
Verb
  • To the eye, that’s obvious; as far as your vision can tell, all the planets and stars are mere dots of light affixed to a flat sky.
    Phil Plait, Scientific American, 19 June 2026
  • Trump’s deputy chief of staff shared a video of the moment on social media, showing the President affixing his signature to a document in familiar Sharpie.
    Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • During her tenure overseeing environmental protection efforts in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin, Shore, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, said utilities were beginning to develop closure and remediation plans for older disposal sites.
    Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026
  • Camilla was appointed Colonel in December 2022, three months into her role as queen.
    Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • Local residents and business owners said Israeli forces had later returned to the area and confiscated all CCTV recordings.
    Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 13 June 2026
  • But any noise-making devices such as vuvuzelas, air horns and whistles will be confiscated.
    Laurence Miedema, Mercury News, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Burrows was also nominated for 15 Directors Guild of America Awards during his career, winning five.
    Kerry Breen, CBS News, 19 June 2026
  • He was nominated for dozens of Emmy Awards and Directors Guild of America Awards over his long career.
    Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • According to the Air Force, the Interim Safety Board assigned to investigate the crash is tasked with collecting as much information as possible and then handing it over to a Safety Investigation Board, composed of experts, that will complete the inquiry.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
  • More than 10,000 officers will be assigned for the ticker-tape victory parade Thursday, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said, as authorities brace for potentially record-setting crowds along the parade’s route, held on a stretch of Broadway Street known as the Canyon of Heroes.
    Mark Morales, CNN Money, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • What constitutes a good concealer?
    Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 14 June 2026
  • Pinney’s bold and free conception of how a drama is constituted, and its inseparability from time and memory, displays a rare associative virtuosity.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Eco effort This is a fragile environment—Kerlingarfjöll was designated a Protected Nature Reserve by Umhverfisstofnun (the Environmental Agency of Iceland) in 2020.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 June 2026
  • While the federal government may designate foreign terror groups, there is no formal mechanism to apply the same label to domestic groups.
    ABC News, ABC News, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • Long before Kansas City prepared to host six matches in soccer’s global tournament, an Overland Park kid named Matt Besler gave the city its first taste of the World Cup stage.
    The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 17 June 2026
  • Joshua’s contract also states White and Zuffa Boxing cannot be named promoters of the Fury bout, despite Al-Sheikh owning 60 per cent of the company.
    Chris McKenna, New York Times, 17 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Attach.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attach. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on attach

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster