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

She was rushed to a hospital, and surgeons were able to reattach her hand. —Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026

Surgeons were able to successfully reattach her hand following the attack. —Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 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

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