1
as in objectivity
lack of favoritism toward one side or another
the judge showed commendable detachment when deciding the controversial case
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in coldness
the absence of emotional involvement
his detachment allowed him a clearer perspective on the child custody case
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of detachment
The hardest thing for me still is to bring detachment to the things that are outside my control.
—
Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026
His few lines of dialogue have a power that far exceeds their word count, but what speaks for Jeremy most of the time are his physical gestures, which blend blank detachment with willful ferocity.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
Kelly’s videos, delivered in her distinctive, pitchy voice (think Valley girl with notes of humdrum detachment a la the famously monotone comedian Ben Stein), are both personal and woven with running gags.
—Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 12 Apr. 2026
Her early death, after an illness that the father initially contrives to ignore then notices just in time to capture her desperation in a fine sketch, leaves Mimí utterly disoriented, yearning only to achieve a level of self-control and detachment that will spare him their tumultuous struggle.
—Tim Parks, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detachment
Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026
His few lines of dialogue have a power that far exceeds their word count, but what speaks for Jeremy most of the time are his physical gestures, which blend blank detachment with willful ferocity.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
Kelly’s videos, delivered in her distinctive, pitchy voice (think Valley girl with notes of humdrum detachment a la the famously monotone comedian Ben Stein), are both personal and woven with running gags.
—Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 12 Apr. 2026
Her early death, after an illness that the father initially contrives to ignore then notices just in time to capture her desperation in a fine sketch, leaves Mimí utterly disoriented, yearning only to achieve a level of self-control and detachment that will spare him their tumultuous struggle.
—Tim Parks, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detachment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detachment
Noun
-
The vast majority of parents have very little objectivity about their childrens' athletic ability.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
-
In the presentation phase, Gaye Tuchman described strategic rituals journalists use to preserve objectivity.—
Florian Wintterlin,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Missouri State Highway Patrol posted photos to social media of the damage to its patrol vehicles for Troop D, which includes Greene County.—
Marta Mieze,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Zarzuela said the investigation involved patrol officers and detectives, leading to 37-year-old Gioacchino Esposito being identified as a suspect, according to Zarzuela.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The coldness of the water constricts arteries, requiring the heart to work harder than normal to function.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The song has said everything that Ines can’t bring herself to, and her coldness chips away in the days and weeks that follow.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Mayer adds that the monarch's traditional neutrality could be tested.—
Fatima Al-Kassab,
NPR,
26 Apr. 2026
-
In March, Ragnar Kjartansson, Tomás Saraceno, and Pussy Riot member Nadya Tolokonnikova signed an open letter that addressed the Biennale’s claims of neutrality.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The military site at Kapciamiestis covering some 14,600 hectares will allow battalion and brigade-size drills on the ground at a critical land link used by the alliance to send reinforcements to its eastern flank.—
Milda Seputyte,
Bloomberg,
23 Apr. 2026
-
In the letter read out to lawmakers of the Central African country on Monday, Chadian President Mahamat Déby Itno said two battalions of 750 troops each will be deployed from this month for one year, following a request by the United Nations.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 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
-
Space Launch Delta 45’s weather squadron forecasts a 70% chance for good conditions, which climbs to 90% in the event of a 24-hour delay.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The base is home to four squadrons of Typhoon fighter jets as well as the UK’s fleet of nine P-8 Poseidon aircraft, which the Royal Air Force calls the world’s best anti-submarine platform.—
Alan Crawford,
Bloomberg,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detachment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detachment. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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