detach

verb

de·​tach di-ˈtach 

dē-

detached; detaching; detaches

transitive verb

1

: to separate especially from a larger mass and usually without violence or damage

2

: disengage, withdraw

detachability

di-ˌta-chə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

dē-

noun

detachable

di-ˈta-chə-bəl 

dē-

adjective

detachably

di-ˈta-chə-blē 

dē-

adverb

Examples of detach in a Sentence

Detach the upper part of the form and return it with your payment.

During the accident the trailer was detached from the car.

The brush detaches from the vacuum cleaner for easy cleaning.

It can be difficult to detach yourself from the chaos of the situation.

She has been trying to detach herself from an abusive relationship.

Recent Examples on the Web

His upper arm bone was detached from the joint, and the sphere-like top of his upper arm bone (humeral head) was completely gone. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026

In the past several years, several Kansas City suburbs have detached — and pulled their annual financial contributions — from the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, the region’s transit system. — Ilana Arougheti july 30, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026

This boom-and-bust dynamic is playing out across much of the Sun Belt, where markets became dangerously detached from local income fundamentals and are now paying the price. — Wesley Carpenter, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

How to Harvest Fruit color and how easily the berries detach from the plant are the best indicators of ripeness. — Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 27 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

French détacher, from Old French destachier, from des- de- + -tachier (as in atachier to attach)

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for detach

• attach
• bycatch
• despatch
• dispatch
• mismatch
• nuthatch
• potlatch
• bache
• batch
• brach
• catch
• hatch

Kids Definition

detach

verb

de·​tach di-ˈtach 

: to separate especially from a larger mass and usually without violence or damage

detachable

-ˈtach-ə-bəl 

adjective

detachably

-blē 

adverb