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GRE vocabulary

detached

adjectiveHigh-frequency wordMore D words

not involved in or influenced by a situation, or showing a lack of emotion or personal involvement

Word origin: From French detacher, to unfasten or separate.

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In a sentence

Detached in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing detached in a sentence.

The journalist tried to remain detached while reporting on the deeply personal stories of the refugees.

The historian's detached tone let her examine the atrocity without lapsing into either outrage or apology.

Antonyms
engagedinvolvedcommitted

Quick GRE check

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Verbal · Sentence Equivalence

The professor's lectures were notoriously blank; students often left more puzzled than when they had arrived, unable to follow his tangled chains of reasoning.

Select the two answers that give the sentence the same meaning. 0 of 2 selected.

Usage & nuance

Using “detached” well

Detached has two strands: a favorable sense of being impartial and objective, and a less favorable sense of being aloof or unfeeling. Context decides whether it praises neutrality or faults coldness.

Common questions

Questions about “detached”

Detached (adjective) means not involved in or influenced by a situation, or showing a lack of emotion or personal involvement
Here is detached used in an example sentence: "The journalist tried to remain detached while reporting on the deeply personal stories of the refugees." Another example: "The historian's detached tone let her examine the atrocity without lapsing into either outrage or apology."
Common synonyms for detached include aloof, impartial, indifferent, dispassionate.
Antonyms of detached include engaged, involved, committed.
Clusters with aloof, impartial, indifferent, and dispassionate in Sentence Equivalence. Antonyms engaged, involved, and committed describe active investment.
Yes. Detached is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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