Definition of detachmentnext
1
2
as in patrol
a small military unit with a special task or function the general sent a detachment ahead to scout the enemy's position

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

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 detachment The South Carolina State Guard caisson detachment will carry Graham’s remains. Chantelle Lee, Time, 22 July 2026 Single Geminis might enjoy the variety of having multiple options, though one person could challenge your detachment style by asking for clarity. Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026 Sonos Noise Cancelling Headphones Deal The Sonos Ace Headphones deliver supreme sonic detachment with world-class Active Noise Cancellation and Dolby Atmos spatial audio with dynamic head tracking. Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 8 July 2026 Once locked, the mechanical safety structure helps reduce the risk of accidental detachment. New Atlas, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for detachment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detachment
Noun
  • One of the biggest mistakes leaders make during a mid-year review is allowing optimism to replace objectivity.
    John Abusaid, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • This blatant fealty over objectivity perverts the process by choosing personal loyalists instead of independent public servants.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Ukraine's Zelenskyy also said the country's armed forces had responded to Russian attacks on ships in the Black Sea by striking two military patrol boats and shadow fleet vessels.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026
  • As officers were examining the shooting site, a separate patrol unit stopped a speeding white 2019 BMW 330i near South 11th and Keyes streets and discovered one of the occupants was the third victim, a man who had been shot in the arm.
    Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Orris adds earthy depth, while a petrichor accord gives the scent an eerie coldness.
    Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 15 July 2026
  • In this attitude was a strange commingling of repugnance and desire, alienation and belonging, intimacy and coldness.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 July 2026
Noun
  • Institutional capital is the confidence that governments, donors and citizens place in an institution’s neutrality, legitimacy, consistency and ability to apply its mandate impartially.
    Ekramy El Zaghat, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • In another 15 years, the region wants to establish a low-carbon footprint by reducing its emissions by as much as 75 percent and finally achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
    Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • After the ceremony, De la Espriella planned to travel to a military battalion in Cali to address the troops.
    Astrid Suárez, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Kelsey Whetro is a battalion chief for the KCFD, and one of the four coordinators in charge of Camp Fury.
    Julianna Mejia July 31, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
Noun
  • Eliot loved hearing Claire talk about people, her combination of warmth and dispassion.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Nov. 2025
  • In the play’s most striking image, the dead sit in the Grover’s Corners graveyard in rows—rather like a theatre audience—watching the living with quiet dispassion.
    Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • India, an avatar of forceful neutralism early on, saw its influence diminished by regional conflict and domestic troubles.
    Erez Manela, Foreign Affairs, 14 Dec. 2021
  • Globalizing impulses helped bring about a flourishing of neutralism.
    Leo Robson, The New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2016
Noun
  • Trust the Brontës to be a squadron of Shtumtroopers, silencing people to bits.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • During the best fight scene, Peter takes on a squadron of gravity-defying ninjas in a brawl that takes place as much in the air as on the ground.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Detachment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detachment. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on detachment

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster