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detachment

noun

de·​tach·​ment di-ˈtach-mənt How to pronounce detachment (audio)
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

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
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.
Either way—detachment or aggression—boys’ inability to compete directly and as equals with girls is having negative outcomes for all, including boys whose academic motivation, engagement, and achievement are suffering. Soraya Chemaly, Time, 24 Nov. 2025 Slow-motion footage from active shooter training courses, which is overlaid with bombastic opera and accented with a Ruben Östlund-like comic detachment. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 18 Nov. 2025 As digital media reverse the cognitive detachment typical of print culture and retrieve the situational immersion typical of orality, not only is the Gutenberg Parenthesis closing, but the metaphor of a closing parenthesis — or arc — can be extended to the entire era of literacy. Big Think, 16 Nov. 2025 According to the Global Times report, a preliminary investigation into what happened cited the unexpected detachment of the safety rope’s fixing point on the test vehicle as the key cause of the crash. Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for detachment

Word History

First Known Use

1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of detachment was in 1671

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Detachment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detachment. Accessed 26 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

detachment

noun
de·​tach·​ment di-ˈtach-mənt How to pronounce detachment (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on detachment

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