detachment
Other forms: detachments
A state of being distant or standoffish is detachment. Your detachment might mean that you don't cry on the last day of school with all your friends — you're just not that emotionally involved.
When you have a sense of detachment from your surroundings, you're a bit aloof or apart, especially in an emotional way. A more physical kind of detachment is an actual coming apart, when something breaks or separates: "The detachment of the wall and the baseboard made it hard to paint the kitchen." Finally, there is a military meaning of detachment — a unit or group of soldiers sent on a separate mission.
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avoiding emotional involvementsynonyms: withdrawaltype of:indifferenceunbiased impartial unconcern
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the state of being isolated or detachedsynonyms: insularism, insularity, insulationtype of:isolationa state of separation between persons or groups
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the act of releasing from an attachment or connectionsynonyms: disengagementtype of:separationthe act of dividing or disconnecting
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coming apartsynonyms: breakup, separationtypes:breach, break, falling out, rift, rupture, severancea personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)breakthe occurrence of breakingschismthe formal separation of a church into two churches or the withdrawal of one group over doctrinal differencessnapa sudden breakingtype of:alteration, change, modificationan event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
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a small unit of troops of special compositiontypes:bodyguarda group of men who escort and protect some important personpatrola detachment used for security or reconnaissancepicketa detachment of troops guarding an army from surprise attackpress ganga detachment empowered to force civilians to serve in the army or navyprovost guarda detachment under the command of a provost marshallrearguarda detachment assigned to protect the rear of a (retreating) military bodyPraetorian Guardthe elite bodyguard of a Roman Emperor in ancient Rometype of:army unita military unit that is part of an army
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Vocabulary lists containing detachment
In this novella based on a Mexican folk tale, a poor diver rejoices when he finds an enormous pearl — but the treasure may not be the blessing it seems to be.
Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston was only seven when her Japanese-American family was forced to leave their home in Long Beach, California for an internment camp during World War II. This is her story.