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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Recent Examples of detaching
Cbs Chicago Team, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
An issue with a solid rocket booster motor detaching during launch on the second flight, though, delayed that certification until March 2025.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026
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
Kiki Intarasuwan, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026
The agency added that Weber is aware of at least 38 reports of bristles detaching, including four cases that required medical treatment.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
Several have reported their medals detaching from their ribbons and, in one case, even breaking in half.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 13 Feb. 2026
This causes the uterine lining to stop thickening and to break down, detaching the embryo.
—Arthur Jones Ii, ABC News, 14 Jan. 2026
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
Noun
There have been at least 38 reports of and reviews mentioning the bristle detaching from the brushes, Weber said, and four reports of people who swallowed the metal bristles and sough medical treatment to remove them from their throat or digestive tract.
—Cbs Chicago Team, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
An issue with a solid rocket booster motor detaching during launch on the second flight, though, delayed that certification until March 2025.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026
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
There have been at least 15 reports of the zipper head detaching from the garment, the CPSC said Thursday, but no injuries have been reported.
—Kiki Intarasuwan, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026
The agency added that Weber is aware of at least 38 reports of bristles detaching, including four cases that required medical treatment.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
Several have reported their medals detaching from their ribbons and, in one case, even breaking in half.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 13 Feb. 2026
This causes the uterine lining to stop thickening and to break down, detaching the embryo.
—Arthur Jones Ii, ABC News, 14 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detaching
Verb
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When removing the 3% annual increase cities and counties were already allowed, the cap amounted to a 5% budget increase from growth.—
Mark Dee
March 6,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
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There are several organic methods for removing these persistent weeds, and some are more effective than others.—
Alexandra Jones,
The Spruce,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Then their subject starts to flirt with the idea of disengaging and moving to a like-minded nudist community, even relocating for a few days to test the new setup out.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
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Emotional fatigue builds and high performers start rationing effort or quietly disengaging.—
Mark Murphy,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The front portions were separated in hair and rolled in a horizontal direction toward the center parting.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
6 Mar. 2026
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After parting ways with their previous head coach after a year and a half, the Blue Devils were in a bind.—
Eden Laase,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The line separating the two is blurry, as both star types experience winds and ejecta before dying.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Mar. 2026
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While Trump officials say the current deportation surge is succeeding in rooting out dangerous criminals, immigrant advocates have decried the crackdown for separating families and sending people back to countries where their lives may be in danger.—
Ethan Varian,
Mercury News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Arguing that having a public apology circulating online would be unfair to their client, his attorneys instead handed Rose a paper note containing the apology before quickly withdrawing it.—
Andrew Lapin,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
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And naive, especially after the Soviet Union spent a decade fighting in Afghanistan to put communist allies in charge, before withdrawing its troops in 1989 amid failure.—
Jill Lawrence,
Mercury News,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Dominican Republic added separation again in the seventh.—
Noah Gulley,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
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In recent years, the company has been refining the chemistry and engineering behind its process, including solvent systems and separation techniques to recover high-purity polyester and cellulose from complex textile waste streams.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The median offers a more accurate view of what's happening in a market than the average sales price, which would mean taking the sum of all sales prices then dividing by the number of homes sold.—
USA TODAY Network,
Florida Times-Union,
7 Mar. 2026
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In this one, the death of a young woman ends up dividing its citizens, stoking rumors and accusations.—
Jasmine Vojdani,
Vulture,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The fundamental goal of the 1787 Constitution was to establish a republican form of government — and that meant disentangling the traditional powers of the monarch and placing them in different branches of government.—
David French,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
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Embedded in a patriarchal family within an oppressive society, Mrie faces the challenge of disentangling herself from both.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detaching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detaching. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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