unattached

/ˌʌnəˈtætʃt/ (bre, ipa) · [ˌʌnətˈætʃt] /ˌʌnəˈtætʃt/ (ame, ipa) · [ˌʌnətˈætʃt] /ˌən-ə-ˈtacht How to pronounce unattached (audio)/ (ame, mw)

unattached — 形容詞

  • unattachedpositive
  • more unattachedcomparative
  • most unattachedsuperlative

1. refers to a person who does not currently have a romantic partner, boyfriend, gi

1.形容詞B1
釋義

單身

沒有戀愛或婚姻對象的

refers to a person who does not currently have a romantic partner, boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse, and is not in an exclusive romantic relationship.

例句

Mei-Lin told the office she was still unattached, so they tried to set her up.

Mei-Lin 告訴同事她還是單身，大家便忙著幫她介紹對象。

collocation: still unattached

Oliver enjoyed being unattached — he could travel whenever he wanted without checking with anyone.

Oliver 很享受單身的狀態——他隨時可以去旅行，不必先問過任何人。

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • attached

    the direct opposite, meaning in a romantic relationship

  • married

    specifically in a legal marriage, a subset of being attached

  • taken

    informal; means already in a relationship

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

❌She is unattached with her ex-boyfriend.
✅She is unattached
💡she and her ex-boyfriend broke up.' — 'unattached' does not pair with 'with' for relationships.
❌I am unattached to my sister.' (to mean 'I am not close to her')
✅I am not particularly close to my sister.
💡the sense of distance between family members uses 'detached' or 'not close', not 'unattached'.

2. not fixed, tied, or connected to another object or surface, so that the item can

2.形容詞B2
釋義

未連接

沒有附著或固定在其他物體上的

not fixed, tied, or connected to another object or surface, so that the item can move or be moved freely.

例句

The batteries were sold unattached inside the box, so customers had to insert them themselves.

電池在盒子裡是分開裝的，顧客需要自己裝入裝置。

Kwame found a small unattached button on the back seat of the car.

Kwame 在汽車後座上發現了一顆脫落的小鈕扣。

unattached before noun (attributive use)

同義詞
  • detached

    suggests the item was once attached and has been separated; more clinical in tone

  • loose

    implies the item is not held in place securely, possibly within a larger structure

  • separate

    focuses on being apart or distinct from something else; not necessarily about physical fastening

反義詞
  • attached

    joined or fastened to something

  • connected

    linked physically or functionally

  • fixed

    securely fastened in place

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

❌The paper is unattached to the wall.
✅The paper is not attached to the wall.
💡'unattached' before a 'to'-object is less natural than the negative form 'not attached' when describing a specific instance.

3. feeling no emotional or social bond with a particular person, group, organizatio

3.形容詞C1
釋義

無歸屬

對人或團體沒有情感連結的

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.

例句

After months of attending club meetings, Omar still felt emotionally unattached to the group's mission.

參加社團活動好幾個月後，Omar 對這個團體的使命仍感到毫無歸屬感。

collocation: emotionally unattached + to

Clara moved to four schools as a child and grew up unattached to any city.

Clara 小時候轉過四所學校，長大後對任何城市都沒有歸屬感。

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • committed

    emotionally invested and dedicated to a cause, group, or person

  • aligned

    in agreement with a group's values or goals

  • connected

    feeling a sense of belonging or emotional link

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.

常見錯誤

❌He is unattached from the group.
✅He is unattached to the group.
💡the correct preposition after 'unattached' in this sense is 'to', not 'from'.
❌She felt unattached towards her colleagues.
✅She felt unattached to her colleagues.
💡'towards' is not the preposition used with this adjective; use 'to'.