reattach

verb

re·​at·​tach (ˌ)rē-ə-ˈtach 

reattached; reattaching; reattaches

1

transitive : to attach (something) again

reattach the hoses

reattaching the retina to underlying tissue

2

intransitive : to become attached anew

The dentist will probably bond that tooth to the adjacent teeth for a number of weeks until it reattaches.

—The Explorer (Tucson, Arizona)

reattachment

(ˌ)rē-ə-ˈtach-mənt 

noun

plural reattachments

reattachment of a severed finger

reattachment surgery

Modern treatment for detached retina may include reattachment of the retina with a laser (like spot-welding) or freezing small areas (cryotherapy).

—Richard P. Holm

Examples of reattach in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The airline workhorse was allowed to return to the skies because the NTSB determined that maintenance workers damaged the plane that crashed while improperly using a forklift to reattach the engine. —CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026

Sidelined for the second half of last season by a right hamstring tear that required surgery to reattach the tendon to the bone, Prescott thundered back by throwing for 4,552 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing a league-high 404 passes. —Mike Jones, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026

Bolster or reattach sagging gutters, tighten up screws, and seal any cracks or leaks with gutter sealant. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2025

In October, over five months after the initial accident, the team performed the final stage of the procedure to reattach the ear to its original position. —Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 26 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1751, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for reattach

• attach
• bycatch
• despatch
• detach
• dispatch
• mismatch
• nuthatch
• potlatch
• toothache
• bache
• batch
• brach

Medical Definition

reattach

intransitive verb

re·​at·​tach ˌrē-ə-ˈtach 

: to become attached anew

transitive verb

: to attach again

reattach a severed finger

reattachment

-mənt 

noun