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

Its style is terse, cool, and detached, presenting warfare as primarily a problem of calculation rather than brute force or individual courage. — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026

There are melancholic elements, including human characters that can seem lost in their thoughts — impassive and detached from the world. — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 11 Sep. 2026

The images detached from every aspect of life merge into a common stream in which the unity of that life can no longer be recovered. — David Friend, Vanity Fair, 10 Sep. 2026

In this way, the full module can simply add off-grid living capabilities to a truck chassis, then detach and move the same level of capabilities to a different chassis. — New Atlas, 10 Sep. 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