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Meaning & use

attachment

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/əˈtætʃmənt/
US/əˈtætʃmənt/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable or uncountable

    A feeling of love or close emotional connection to a person, animal, or thing.

    Grammar: Often used with to: an attachment to someone. Can be uncountable when talking about the feeling in general.

    Patterns

    • attachment to someone
    • a deep attachment to something
    • form an attachment

    She felt a strong attachment to the little dog she had raised.

    His attachment to his old school surprised everyone.

    Children need secure attachment to feel safe.

  2. nouncountablecomputing

    A file, such as a document or picture, sent together with an email or message.

    Grammar: Common in computing; often in the phrase open the attachment.

    Patterns

    • open an attachment
    • send something as an attachment
    • an email attachment

    Please open the attachment to see the full schedule.

    I could not read the attachment because it was in an old format.

    She sent the photos as an attachment rather than pasting them in.

  3. nouncountabletechnical

    A part that is fixed onto a machine or tool to give it an extra function.

    Grammar: Often followed by for: an attachment for a drill.

    Patterns

    • an attachment for something
    • fit an attachment
    • a special attachment

    This attachment turns the mixer into a juicer.

    The vacuum cleaner comes with several attachments for corners and stairs.

    You need a special attachment to cut metal with that drill.

  4. noununcountableformal

    The act of joining one thing to another, or the state of being joined.

    Grammar: Formal and technical; often in phrases like attachment of something to something.

    Patterns

    • attachment of something to something
    • secure attachment

    The attachment of the shelf to the wall took only a few minutes.

    Check the attachment of the cables before you switch the machine on.

Word forms

pluralattachments

Common combinations

a strong attachment
He had a strong attachment to the town where he grew up.
an email attachment
Never open an email attachment from someone you do not know.
secure attachment
Psychologists study how secure attachment develops in babies.
an attachment for a drill
The store sells an attachment for a drill that lets you polish wood.
emotional attachment
Try not to form an emotional attachment to the first house you see.

Synonyms and how they differ

affection
Affection is warm liking, often shown openly; attachment stresses the bond itself and can sound more psychological.
bond
A bond is a close tie between people; attachment is also used for ties to animals or objects.
fondness
Fondness is gentle liking for something; attachment is usually deeper and harder to break.

Opposites

detachmentindifference

Word family

attach verb
To fasten or join one thing to another; also to send a file with a message.
attached adjective
Feeling affection for someone, as in 'very attached to her grandmother'.
detachment noun
The state of not being emotionally involved; the opposite feeling.

Commonly confused: attachment or attachments? attachment or attache?

attachment vs attachments

This is simply the plural of attachment; use the singular when you mean one file or one feeling.

attachment vs attache

An attache is a diplomatic official, while attachment means a feeling, a file, or a fitted part.

Practice

Which sentence uses 'attachment' in the email sense?

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