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 In the book’s arc, this lands as a chilling dismissal, and a reminder of the magnitude of Bret’s increasingly psychotic concern over Robert Mallory and the Trawler, and his detachment from his own life. Leo Lasdun, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for detachment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detachment
Noun
  • Vibration monitors would provide some objectivity, said Leila Sauvage, a paper conservator at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam who specializes in the impacts of vibration on art.
    Rachel Treisman, NPR, 20 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • As the trooper worked to secure Guerrero-Chavez back in his patrol vehicle, he was hit by a passing Ford Focus driven by Ashton Berry of Kansas City.
    Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Military working dogs are routinely used in roles including explosives detection, patrol operations, search missions and force-protection duties.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The danger occurs if that ruthlessness veers into institutional coldness.
    James McNicholas, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The music recalled the angst and coldness of Carpenter’s movie scores but with more robust arrangements, buttressed by Davies’ guitar.
    Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The pundits feasted on her neutrality, most venomously Megyn Kelly, who called her a coward.
    Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Instead, French politicians provided 500,000 francs to the Society of Habous for construction costs to protect the appearance of religious neutrality.
    Shannon Fogg, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • An Army unit based in Europe was building its own drones before LaNeve directed it to end its efforts and return to being a traditional infantry battalion, officials said in August.
    Ben Finley, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • In northern Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, Russian forces are reportedly disbanding some tank battalions and reallocating younger servicemembers to drone units, while assigning other personnel to assault units.
    Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 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
  • Marine Corps and Navy test squadrons participated alongside Kratos, Northrop Grumman, and Autonodyne.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Its leather body, fur collar and squadron patches had been part of naval aviation for decades, but Top Gun introduced the jacket to a new audience.
    Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Detachment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detachment. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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