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 group demanded that the House reattach funding for immigration enforcement, as well as add a voter ID provision, before sending it back to the Senate. —March 27, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026

After the surgery to reattach her Achilles, her doctor left for a two-week vacation while Giese was at home recuperating, studiously following the doctor’s after-care guidelines. —Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026

The video sees Strelow attempt to reattach the medal before realizing — like Johnson — that the small clasp connecting the medal to the ribbon had broken off as well. —Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Feb. 2026

The team claims that together, these methods enabled a symmetric, reversible robotic hand that can crawl, grasp multiple objects, and reattach while maintaining stability and control. —Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 21 Jan. 2026

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