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

Worries about catastrophe are not universal in the AI industry — many experts working on AI policy, building AI applications or developing hardware see these sorts of fears as overblown, fearmongering or just detached from reality. — Jared Perlo, NBC news, 19 Sep. 2026

The 30-piece toy sets include 2-inch figures that contain magnets in the hands and feet, which can be detached and swallowed. — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026

But the result has been a military strategy detached from a political strategy—a determination merely to prevent Ukraine’s defeat and impose costs on Russia indefinitely. — Nadia Schadlow, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2026

That resolution follows a recent incident in which a leak after heavy rains caused a portion of the ceiling plaster to detach. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 14 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