unattached
/ˌʌnəˈtætʃt/ (bre, ipa) · [ˌʌnətˈætʃt] /ˌʌnəˈtætʃt/ (ame, ipa) · [ˌʌnətˈætʃt] /ˌən-ə-ˈtacht How to pronounce unattached (audio)/ (ame, mw)
unattached — adjective
- unattachedpositive
- more unattachedcomparative
- most unattachedsuperlative
1. refers to a person who does not currently have a romantic partner, boyfriend, gi
refers to a person who does not currently have a romantic partner, boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse, and is not in an exclusive romantic relationship.
Mei-Lin told the office she was still unattached, so they tried to set her up.
collocation: still unattached
Oliver enjoyed being unattached — he could travel whenever he wanted without checking with anyone.
The dating website asked users to indicate whether they were in a relationship or unattached.
Zara had been unattached for almost two years before she met her current partner.
Noa preferred to remain unattached rather than settle for a relationship that felt wrong.
- single
more neutral and common; 'single' is the everyday term, while 'unattached' carries a slightly more formal or self-describing tone
- available
focuses on being open to new romantic possibilities; more active in dating contexts
- footloose
informal and playful, suggesting freedom without any obligations at all
文法句型
be unattached
remain unattached
unattached + noun (attributive)
用法筆記
Slightly more formal or deliberate than 'single'. While 'single' often implies simply not being married, 'unattached' emphasises freedom from romantic commitment — the person may be dating casually or choosing to stay independent.
常見錯誤
2. not fixed, tied, or connected to another object or surface, so that the item can
not fixed, tied, or connected to another object or surface, so that the item can move or be moved freely.
The batteries were sold unattached inside the box, so customers had to insert them themselves.
Kwame found a small unattached button on the back seat of the car.
unattached before noun (attributive use)
The artist hung several unattached canvases from the ceiling with thin metal wires.
Elena noticed that one of the fence panels had come completely unattached from its post.
Haruto stored the unattached shelves in the garage until he was ready to mount them.
文法句型
be unattached
remain unattached
come unattached
unattached + noun (attributive)
用法筆記
Most common in product instructions, technical descriptions, and shipping contexts. In everyday conversation, 'not attached' or 'loose' often sound more natural than 'unattached' for describing a single detached item.
常見錯誤
3. feeling no emotional or social bond with a particular person, group, organizatio
feeling no emotional or social bond with a particular person, group, organization, or set of ideas, so that you do not consider yourself part of them.
After months of attending club meetings, Omar still felt emotionally unattached to the group's mission.
collocation: emotionally unattached + to
Clara moved to four schools as a child and grew up unattached to any city.
Deepak described himself as politically unattached because he did not trust any party's promises.
Suki remained emotionally unattached to the family business and chose a different career path.
The board was worried that some new members seemed unattached to the cause.
- detached
often implies a deliberate emotional distance; 'detached' can suggest coolness or lack of feeling, while 'unattached' focuses on absence of belonging
- disconnected
emphasises a lack of communication or shared experience rather than absence of emotional bond
- unaffiliated
specifically about not being a member of an organisation or group, without the emotional connotation
文法句型
be unattached to [someone/something]
feel unattached to [someone/something]
remain unattached to [someone/something]
用法筆記
Almost always followed by a prepositional phrase with 'to' that specifies what the person feels disconnected from. Frequently paired with an adverb — 'emotionally', 'politically', 'socially', 'spiritually' — to indicate which type of bond is absent.