detachment

noun

de·​tach·​ment di-ˈtach-mənt 

dē-

1

: the action or process of detaching : separation

2

a

: the dispatch of a body of troops or part of a fleet from the main body for a special mission or service

b

: the part so dispatched

c

: a permanently organized separate unit usually smaller than a platoon and of special composition

3

a

: indifference to worldly concerns : aloofness

b

: freedom from bias or prejudice

Synonyms of detachment

• objectivity
• neutrality
• neutralism
• objectiveness

Examples of detachment in a Sentence

I wish the article had approached the issue with a bit more detachment.

The form is perforated to make detachment of the bottom section easier.

A detachment of soldiers was called to assist the police.

Recent Examples on the Web

Yoon’s style recalls the stricken narrative detachment of the young soldiers in Remarqué’s and Hemingway’s World War I and Tim O’Brien’s Vietnam. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026

The Shards is a series made for (and probably by) people who can’t always distinguish among kitsch, camp, ironic detachment and affectionate nostalgia, and, frankly, don’t care. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026

In the book’s arc, this lands as a chilling dismissal, and a reminder of the magnitude of Bret’s increasingly psychotic concern over Robert Mallory and the Trawler, and his detachment from his own life. — Leo Lasdun, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026

Home, intended for recovery, often becomes an extension of work, preventing crucial detachment, especially when their partners also struggle to unwind. — Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing detachment

• retinal detachment

Rhymes for detachment

• attachment
• catchment
• reattachment

Kids Definition

detachment

noun

de·​tach·​ment di-ˈtach-mənt 

1

: the action or process of detaching : separation

2

a

: the sending out of a body of troops or part of a fleet from the main body

b

: a small military unit with a special task or function

3

a

: a lack of interest in worldly concerns

b

: freedom from the influence of emotions : impartiality