attach

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as in to confiscate
to take ownership or control of (something) by right of one's authority attached the house for nonpayment of property taxes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word attach distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of attach are affix, fasten, and fix. While all these words mean "to make something stay firmly in place," attach suggests a connecting or uniting by a bond, link, or tie in order to keep things together.

attach the W-2 form here

When could affix be used to replace attach?

The words affix and attach can be used in similar contexts, but affix implies an imposing of one thing on another by gluing, impressing, or nailing.

affix your address label here

Where would fasten be a reasonable alternative to attach?

In some situations, the words fasten and attach are roughly equivalent. However, fasten implies an action such as tying, buttoning, nailing, locking, or otherwise securing.

fasten the reins to a post

When is it sensible to use fix instead of attach?

The synonyms fix and attach are sometimes interchangeable, but fix usually implies a driving in, implanting, or embedding.

fixed the stake in the ground

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of attach One week later, the inmate attacked him in the middle of the night and beat him with a padlock attached to a belt, leaving him with a gash to the head and other injuries, according to the lawsuit. Paul Egan, Freep.com, 23 Oct. 2025 These shockproof, waterproof silicone holders can be stashed in your suitcase, attached to your car keys, or tucked into your wallet. Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2025 Was he attached for all these years? David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025 Paramount is in talks to acquire the package, with Andrea Riseborough also attached to star. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for attach
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attach
Verb
  • Screws and bolts are affixed randomly throughout the design including coils on the lace tips.
    Riley Jones, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The other was an official air force photo with a gold star denoting his new rank affixed to the shoulder epaulet.
    Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Under Schmidt, Mainz went from the edge of the relegation zone when he was appointed in the February to European qualification just over a year later.
    Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
  • At Goddard, Segrid Harris was appointed ETD director in January and began enforcing rigid expectations that many staff saw as a cultural break from NASA norms.
    Josh Dinner, Space.com, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The property of citizens has been confiscated, there are floggings, and attacks.
    Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The city also can seize and confiscate any e-bike operated in violation of the ordinance’s provisions.
    Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In 1984, Whelchel was nominated for a Grammy for her Christian music album, All Because of You.
    Michele Corriston, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
  • He's released three albums and been nominated for multiple international awards.
    Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Certainly there are some high schools that are still assigning and engaging with The Great Gatsby in full.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The Ratings Board watches every movie in its entirety and assigns it a rating and descriptor that aligns with the views of the majority of American parents.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • These statements do not constitute and cannot replace investment advice.
    Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Impact Aid constitutes about 40% of the district’s annual budget and helps pay for curriculum, teacher salaries and other student resources.
    Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The defense outlet Naval News reported that the submarine class proposed for the Philippine navy, currently designated KSS-III PN, is a variant of South Korea's KSS-III Batch-II class, of which the Northeast Asian country recently launched a new vessel.
    Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Discovered using the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), the flare erupted from the supermassive black hole at the heart of an Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) designated J2245+3743 and located in the center of a galaxy 10 billion light-years away from Earth.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The Philippines is no stranger to typhoons and Kalmaegi made landfall as the equivalent of a category 2 hurricane – the 20th named storm to impact the country this year, according to local officials.
    Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Two tipsters had told Carpenter that a man named Don Miller had stolen human remains and burial pieces from Native American graves along with other cultural artifacts from around the world.
    Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 5 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Attach.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attach. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on attach

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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