unattached

American  

[uhn-uh-tacht] / ˌʌn əˈtætʃt /

adjective

1. not attached.

2. not connected or associated with any particular body, group, organization, or the like; independent.

3. not engaged or married.

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unattached British  

/ ˌʌnəˈtætʃt /

adjective

1. not connected with any specific thing, body, group, etc; independent

2. not engaged or married

3. (of property) not seized or held as security or in satisfaction of a judgment

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Etymology

Origin of unattached

First recorded in 1490–1500; un- ¹ + attached

Explanation

Unattached things are not connected or fastened. People can also be unattached, which usually means they don't have a long-term sweetheart. If you pull apart two pieces of Velcro, they're unattached. If your tent comes unattached, or disconnected, from its pole, it may collapse. If you're a freelance reporter, you work unattached to a particular paper or magazine. When we say a person is unattached we mean they are not in a committed relationship. In the animal world, unattached means "free to swim around."

Example Sentences

Japan's Daichi Kamada, 29, and Colombia's Jefferson Lerma, 31, have played regularly in midfield this season but both face becoming unattached midway through the World Cup, although the Eagles have a one-year option on Lerma.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

Nvidia is also planning to unveil new computing solutions that involve multiple CPUs that are unattached to GPUs, the way Meta plans to, the Journal has reported.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

In 2023, the Los Angeles City Council voted to make it illegal to possess an unattached catalytic converter without proof of ownership.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2025

“All of the fear and the anxiety and the threat lingers unattached to anything,” Makari said.

From Salon • Nov. 1, 2024

I feel around the dark wall and find a switch for turning on an unattached irrigation tube.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera