as in disengaging
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1
as in removing
to take (something) away from or off of something else to which it is joined
Detach the lower portion of the invoice and send it back with your payment.
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2
as in withdrawing
to avoid engaging with or participating in something
They were reticent people, completely detached from social life.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of detaching
Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
As of October 23, the company had received 158 reports of the curling iron barrel detaching, including six minor burn injuries.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025
Foliage turns yellow and then red, adhering to the plant for several months, before finally detaching to form a leafy mulch below.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 6 Dec. 2025
Imagery in the report shows the engine and its pylon detaching and flying up into the air in a ball of fire almost immediately after takeoff.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 26 Nov. 2025
For me, detaching from the male gaze wasn’t about rejecting beauty or fashion, but shifting who holds agency.
—Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2025
Carol is actively detaching from anyone who might be of help to her.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Ford had recalled 175,000 vehicles on Wednesday, owing to moonroof wind deflectors detaching.
—Detroit Free Press, Freep.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Emptying the dust cup was simple thanks to clear arrow indicators, although detaching it from the wand first added a small inconvenience.
—Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
That means hanging out with old friends less, making more of an effort to meet new ones, letting go of some old hobbies to explore new ones, detaching from my hometown and maybe even getting a new job.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
The recall comes six months after Tesla and the NHTSA recalled roughly 46,000 Cybertrucks that were at risk of a trim panel detaching.
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
As of October 23, the company had received 158 reports of the curling iron barrel detaching, including six minor burn injuries.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
In one sense, detaching goal setting from the start of the Gregorian calendar is reasonable—one can, of course, choose to begin afresh at any moment.
—Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025
Foliage turns yellow and then red, adhering to the plant for several months, before finally detaching to form a leafy mulch below.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 6 Dec. 2025
Imagery in the report shows the engine and its pylon detaching and flying up into the air in a ball of fire almost immediately after takeoff.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 26 Nov. 2025
For me, detaching from the male gaze wasn’t about rejecting beauty or fashion, but shifting who holds agency.
—Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2025
Carol is actively detaching from anyone who might be of help to her.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Ford had recalled 175,000 vehicles on Wednesday, owing to moonroof wind deflectors detaching.
—Detroit Free Press, Freep.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Emptying the dust cup was simple thanks to clear arrow indicators, although detaching it from the wand first added a small inconvenience.
—Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
That means hanging out with old friends less, making more of an effort to meet new ones, letting go of some old hobbies to explore new ones, detaching from my hometown and maybe even getting a new job.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detaching
Verb
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Lucas offered to amend the ordinance, removing the requirement for detention facilities, as well as for other facilities or buildings paid for with public safety sales tax money.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
7 Jan. 2026
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If surrounding trees are contributing to harmful debris buildup in your AC unit, pruning overhanging branches or removing the trees might be necessary to protect the unit.—
Kamron Sanders,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This indicates that sustained remote presence can help prevent students from disengaging entirely from school.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Dec. 2025
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According to Zabel, Rob and Michele Reiner sought additional support rather than disengaging.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
20 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Before Smith departed the team facility on Tuesday, head coach Brian Schottenheimer called him into his office for some parting words.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Nov. 2025
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Lawrence’s blonde hair, by Gregory Russell, was swept into a sleek side parting and kept long down her back, straight, and glossy.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The backpack itself is crafted from a durable, water-resistant, anti-abrasion material, and includes a wet pocket for separating damp items or dirty laundry.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Jan. 2026
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This was such a tedious process that Saint Ignatius College Prep had its own recycling club that mainly involved spending Fridays after school sitting on a classroom floor and separating the recyclables the school had generated throughout the week.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But again, no school can prevent a player from withdrawing and enrolling elsewhere.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
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With his previous attorney withdrawing from the case, arraignment was postponed Wednesday for Rob Reiner’s youngest son, who is charged with murdering the famed filmmaker and his photographer wife Michele in their Brentwood home.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Surrounding waters remain protected, preserving coral reefs and mangrove ecosystems that lend the island a sense of quiet separation.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 Jan. 2026
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Having no real material ready, Alex launches into a spontaneous public therapy session, getting personal about his separation and family life.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The singer's annual holiday clip is dividing fans this year.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Nov. 2025
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Similar efforts have emerged in Missouri, where the state legislature passed a new map dividing Kansas City among three congressional districts.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Our narrator, a gay, happily married father of two disentangling himself from a poly love affair, is—depending on the light—brilliant, self-mythologizing, abject, hopeful, and vulnerable.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
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Brittany Luse is joined by writer and journalist Ana Marie Cox to get into how people are disentangling alcohol from their lives, and the lessons she's learned as a recovering alcoholic.—
Veralyn Williams,
NPR,
6 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detaching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detaching. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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