detach
verb
de·tach di-ˈtach 
dē-
detached; detaching; detaches
transitive verb
1
: to separate especially from a larger mass and usually without violence or damage
2
: disengage, withdraw
detachability
di-ˌta-chə-ˈbi-lə-tē
noun dē-
detachable
di-ˈta-chə-bəl
adjective dē-
detachably
di-ˈta-chə-blē
adverb dē-
Example Sentences
Detach the upper part of the form and return it with your payment. During the accident the trailer was detached from the car. The brush detaches from the vacuum cleaner for easy cleaning. It can be difficult to detach yourself from the chaos of the situation. She has been trying to detach herself from an abusive relationship.
Recent Examples on the Web From there, 10 small satellites, called CubeSats, will detach and go their separate ways to collect information on the moon and the deep space environment. 
Ashley Strickland, CNN, 3 Sep. 2022 Shamefully, the Bills' brain trust made the decision to detach themselves from a player accused of a heinous crime only after the lawsuit became public. Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY, 28 Aug. 2022 The clip for the absorber inside the fuel tank was not secured properly and may detach, which can cause an inaccurate fuel gauge reading. Detroit Free Press, 17 June 2022 The medication, now authorized for the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, causes the uterine lining to detach, and is typically used with a second drug, misoprostol, which clears the contents of the uterus. Kimberly Kindy, Anchorage Daily News, 15 Aug. 2022 Toyota announced a recall for the bZ4X electric vehicle in June, acknowledging that wheels might detach from the car because of malfunctioning hub bolts and asking customers to stop driving the vehicle. Sebastian Blanco, Car and Driver, 7 Aug. 2022 While many teens try to detach from their parents, Connor Luensman couldn’t get enough of his father, James. Holly Yan, CNN, 19 June 2022 These handlebars are also easy to detach, which makes this digger convenient to store and a good choice for those who may be tight on space. Alex Rennie, Popular Mechanics, 25 May 2022 There, physicians undergo resilience training, learn breathing techniques and attend lectures on how to psychologically detach from work. Robert Pearl, Forbes, 26 Apr. 2022 See More
Ashley Strickland, CNN, 3 Sep. 2022 Shamefully, the Bills' brain trust made the decision to detach themselves from a player accused of a heinous crime only after the lawsuit became public. Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY, 28 Aug. 2022 The clip for the absorber inside the fuel tank was not secured properly and may detach, which can cause an inaccurate fuel gauge reading. Detroit Free Press, 17 June 2022 The medication, now authorized for the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, causes the uterine lining to detach, and is typically used with a second drug, misoprostol, which clears the contents of the uterus. Kimberly Kindy, Anchorage Daily News, 15 Aug. 2022 Toyota announced a recall for the bZ4X electric vehicle in June, acknowledging that wheels might detach from the car because of malfunctioning hub bolts and asking customers to stop driving the vehicle. Sebastian Blanco, Car and Driver, 7 Aug. 2022 While many teens try to detach from their parents, Connor Luensman couldn’t get enough of his father, James. Holly Yan, CNN, 19 June 2022 These handlebars are also easy to detach, which makes this digger convenient to store and a good choice for those who may be tight on space. Alex Rennie, Popular Mechanics, 25 May 2022 There, physicians undergo resilience training, learn breathing techniques and attend lectures on how to psychologically detach from work. Robert Pearl, Forbes, 26 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
French détacher, from Old French destachier, from des- de- + -tachier (as in atachier to attach)
First Known Use
1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
detach
verb
de·tach di-ˈtach
detached; detaching
: to separate from something else or from others especially for a purpose
The hood detaches from the jacket.
detaches
verb
1
as in removes
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. Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- removes
- separates
- divides
- splits
- resolves
- disconnects
- disassociates
- dissociates
- disengages
- pulls
- decouples
- severs
- unlinks
- uncouples
- unties
- disentangles
- unfastens
- ramifies
- sunders
- unravels
- parts
- segregates
- divorces
- disassembles
- insulates
- rips
- disintegrates
- rends
- ruptures
- decomposes
- disunites
- dissolves
- disjoints
- dissevers
- disjoins
- bifurcates
- sequesters
- secludes
- isolates
- dissects
- cleaves
- subdivides
- unyokes
- tears
- fractures
- rives
- breaks up
- bisects
- penetrates
- breaks
- fragments
- partitions
- rifts
- segments
- cuts off
- fractionates
- halves
- perforates
- lacerates
- quarters
- incises
- cuts
- dichotomizes
- breaks down
- trisects
- punctures
- slashes
- fractionalizes
- slits
- notches
- fragmentizes
- fragmentates
- gashes
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- combines
- connects
- assembles
- mingles
- blends
- mixes
- attaches
- associates
- binds
- closes
- couples
- accumulates
- fastens
- merges
- sticks
- consolidates
- unites
- joins
- fuses
- unifies
- cements
- fills
- welds
- repairs
- links
- knits
- heals
- agglutinates
- sews
- seals
- plugs
- mends
- patches
- sutures
- stitches
- darns
2
as in disengages
to avoid engaging with or participating in something They were reticent people, completely detached from social life. Synonyms & Similar Words
- disengages
- withdraws
- disentangles
- flees
- recoils
- shrinks
- flinches
- flies
- pulls away
- abandons
- departs
- evacuates
- recedes
- vacates
- backtracks
- leaves
- backpedals
- retreats
- retires
- bows out
- backs down
- quits
- climbs down
- goes
- chickens (out)
- backs away
- pulls out
- drops back
- falls back
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- confronts
- dares
- defies
- faces
- breasts
- braves
- advances
- brazens
- outbraves
- beards