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 If your firearm and prospective red dot sight are incompatible natively, plenty of adapters are available to attach them eventually. Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025 Also attached are Ted Lehane as co-producer and Robert Lehane as executive producer of Flak Happy Films, Edwina Forkin as Irish executive producer, and Byron Collins as associate producer. Alex Ritman, Variety, 14 May 2025 From that point on, they've been practically attached at the hip, often dressing alike and taking in Broadway musicals. Glamour, 4 May 2025 But leadership responsibilities are attached to the position that are also important. Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 3 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for attach
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attach
Verb
  • But in recent weeks, sometime after March, a series of ornate gold medallions—originally affixed to the ceiling cornice—have started to appear elsewhere in the room, as if the unique piece of decor were multiplying itself.
    Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025
  • That’s because the standard EEG typically uses 21 of them, affixed to the scalp in strategic positions to capture activity from various brain regions.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 May 2025
Verb
  • During the last hunt, I was appointed the bear coordinator for the Heathrow community.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 May 2025
  • As the president considers the potential appointment of a new Arctic Ambassador, just as Greenland has appointed theirs, the prospect for diplomacy around extractive industries in the region deserves greater attention.
    Saleem H. Ali, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
Verb
  • But white farmers are being brutally killed, and their land is being confiscated in South Africa.
    Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 13 May 2025
  • Our families could be dishonored in public, our personal memories confiscated for storage inside the Criminal Archives.
    Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • Burstein is currently nominated for his eighth Tony — a feat that ties him in the record books with Jason Robards Jr. for most nominations by a male performer.
    Dave Quinn, People.com, 13 May 2025
  • He was also nominated for Weir’s Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World and Nolan’s The Dark Knight.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • Among other resources, three engines have also been assigned to fight the wildfire.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 19 May 2025
  • The re-tasking of U.S. naval ships assigned to the western Pacific theater comes as China—now possessing the world's largest navy by hull count, with more than 370 vessels—expands its military reach and presence in the region, attempting to challenge American naval dominance.
    Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
Verb
  • These statements do not constitute and cannot replace investment advice.
    Nia Bowers, USA Today, 17 May 2025
  • The threshold for what constitutes work seems to have gotten lower.
    Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • House Republicans have designated the lion's share of spending cuts to the Energy and Commerce Committee, the panel that oversees Medicaid and CHIP, which has been instructed to cut $880 billion.
    Riley Beggin, USA Today, 10 May 2025
  • The remaining units would be designated workforce housing for those making between 60% and 100% of the area median income.
    Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • Another dog named Chrissy is buried next to the pre-dug grave, but Jody's headstone hadn’t come in yet.
    Ashley Vega, People.com, 18 May 2025
  • Pet cat escapes vet's office, arrives home 3 miles away days later A cat named George, who was at the vet for neutering in Florida, broke out of the animal hospital and made his way miles home days later.
    Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Attach.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attach. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

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