attach

Definition of attachnext
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3
as in to confiscate
to take ownership or control of (something) by right of one's authority attached the house for nonpayment of property taxes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word attach distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of attach are affix, fasten, and fix. While all these words mean "to make something stay firmly in place," attach suggests a connecting or uniting by a bond, link, or tie in order to keep things together.

attach the W-2 form here

When could affix be used to replace attach?

The words affix and attach can be used in similar contexts, but affix implies an imposing of one thing on another by gluing, impressing, or nailing.

affix your address label here

Where would fasten be a reasonable alternative to attach?

In some situations, the words fasten and attach are roughly equivalent. However, fasten implies an action such as tying, buttoning, nailing, locking, or otherwise securing.

fasten the reins to a post

When is it sensible to use fix instead of attach?

The synonyms fix and attach are sometimes interchangeable, but fix usually implies a driving in, implanting, or embedding.

fixed the stake in the ground

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 attach Neuroscientists have mainly characterized them in brain slices, where neurons are alive and can be activated but aren’t attached to a living animal. Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 24 Apr. 2026 Whatever official number winds up getting attached to it later, Pittsburgh already passed the eyeball test. Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026 To test the material, the researchers developed an electronic skin and attached it to a robotic hand. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026 Cover the floor and any furniture or items that cannot be moved with a tarp, and attach plastic sheeting to the walls with painters' tape. Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for attach
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attach
Verb
  • About a decade ago the artist Paul Chan (no relation) began affixing fans to the bases of humanoid sculptures, made from cylindrical nylon tubes, in order to animate them.
    Dawn Chan, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Last December, he was arrested and charged with suspicion of DWI, speeding and failing to properly affix his license plate.
    Matt Moret, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • McFarlane, who was appointed to Rosenior’s first-team staff after that interim spell in the hot seat, has gone from being a footnote in Chelsea’s season to effectively being asked to save it from being a complete write-off.
    Cerys Jones, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
  • During Francis’s pontificate, the Vatican appointed an AI adviser who worked with Silicon Valley leaders, heads of state, and the United Nations to protect those most vulnerable to the coming technological upheaval.
    Elias Wachtel, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The war ends, and marauding Russians confiscate the family estate.
    Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Israeli police have for years confiscated Palestinian flags from Palestinians, accusing them of disturbing the peace.
    Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Mayor Casey McKeon nominated councilmembers Butch Twining and Don Kennedy to the committee, with Councilmember Pat Burns to chair it.
    Claire Wang, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Butterworth’s theatrical productions include The Night Heron, The Winterling, Parlour Song, Jerusalem, The River and The Ferryman, which was nominated for nine Tony Awards and winning four, including Best Play.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Marcoulier has served in the Army since July 2023 and is an infantry soldier assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, according to the military.
    Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Seats will be assigned together, with locations revealed on the day of show at venue box office pickup.
    Jem Aswad, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Turkey denies the deaths constituted genocide, saying the toll has been inflated and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.
    City News Service, Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Nothing that should constitute an issue with a robomower in my experience.
    Joe Salas April 25, New Atlas, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The two demonstrations reporters witnessed on Thursday at Fort Bragg consisted of three Bumblebee V1s, two working as a team against a third drone that was designated as the enemy drone.
    Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Teachers at International Newcomer Academy, the Fort Worth school district’s only school designated for immigrant and refugee students, are pleading for district leadership to keep it open as the school board prepares to vote on closing the campus at a meeting Tuesday evening.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Both Schindler and Vellenga were named to the all-tournament team over the weekend at the Smack Attack hosted by Brother Rice in Chicago.
    Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Karres founded the iconic South End restaurant that grew from an ice cream stand named Zesto’s in 1967 into a local institution known for its hamburgers and soft-serve dip-top cones and shakes.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Attach.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attach. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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