attach

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as in to confiscate
to take ownership or control of (something) by right of one's authority attached the house for nonpayment of property taxes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word attach distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of attach are affix, fasten, and fix. While all these words mean "to make something stay firmly in place," attach suggests a connecting or uniting by a bond, link, or tie in order to keep things together.

attach the W-2 form here

When could affix be used to replace attach?

The words affix and attach can be used in similar contexts, but affix implies an imposing of one thing on another by gluing, impressing, or nailing.

affix your address label here

Where would fasten be a reasonable alternative to attach?

In some situations, the words fasten and attach are roughly equivalent. However, fasten implies an action such as tying, buttoning, nailing, locking, or otherwise securing.

fasten the reins to a post

When is it sensible to use fix instead of attach?

The synonyms fix and attach are sometimes interchangeable, but fix usually implies a driving in, implanting, or embedding.

fixed the stake in the ground

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of attach What sets this chair apart for beach use is the universal canopy that attaches to the back, providing UPF 50 sun protection without the need for an umbrella. Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 12 July 2025 The doll also has a circular white Continuous Glucose Monitor on her arm, an insulin pump pod attached at the top of her leg and a device in her purse to monitor her levels. Starr Bowenbank, People.com, 11 July 2025 Any signs that Ukraine’s backers are losing their resolve will only encourage Moscow to stick to that course, a task made easier by the support of Russia’s allies, the absence of material internal dissent, and the low level of importance that the Kremlin attaches to its own soldiers’ deaths. The Editors, National Review, 11 July 2025 All the settings are easy to adjust via the magnetic remote that conveniently attaches to the purifier. Cierra Cowan July 11, PC Magazine, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for attach
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attach
Verb
  • Theft of motor vehicle parts or accessories (subset of larceny) – The unlawful taking of any part or accessory affixed to the interior or exterior of a motor vehicle in a manner which would make the item an attachment of the vehicle or necessary for its operation.
    Baltimore Sun staff, Baltimore Sun, 7 July 2025
  • And once Theo is affixing Lizzy’s lost bracelet to her wrist while looking at her with those eyes?
    Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • The 12-member Guardian Council, half of whom are appointed by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, approved it the next day.
    Nabih Bulos Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2025
  • When Herve Renard was appointed, the FFF publicly announced the aim was to at least make the semi-finals of the World Cup and Olympics but this time there has been no such proclamation.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • From 2022 through 2024, law enforcement officials in California confiscated 139,017 guns used in crimes with identifiable serial numbers, according to the DOJ’s crime guns report.
    Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 12 July 2025
  • No charges have been pressed against Stone, but her family said her phone was confiscated.
    Joey Safchik, NBC news, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • At last month’s state Republican convention, Katie Frost chaired a nominating committee that recommended delegates reelect state Party Chairman Josh McKoon.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 July 2025
  • The full landscape of potential competitors isn’t yet clear, as candidates have until 5 p.m. on Friday to submit their nominating petitions.
    Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Colonel Freeman Martin said during the Sunday press conference that there are 230 DPS personnel assigned to Kerr County.
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 July 2025
  • As of Friday afternoon, 608 personnel, four helicopters, 46 fire engines and seven bulldozers had been assigned to fight the fire.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • And if brutally detaining overwhelmingly peaceful gardeners, farmhands, and construction workers who came to America to build a life constitutes an emergency, what doesn’t?
    Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 13 July 2025
  • An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt: A 23-year-old man from Aurora was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol at 12:50 a.m. July 3 at West 75th Street and Book Road.
    Steve Metsch, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • In addition to state-run programs like Ohio's, the federal government has now designated $4.7 billion dollars for plugging orphan wells.
    Camila Domonoske, NPR, 8 July 2025
  • Congress designates some agency functions in statute, which require a change in law to abolish, while others are created by agency chiefs and can be eliminated.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 8 July 2025
Verb
  • There are boat ramps and fishing piers for anglers; a playground for the kids; walking and biking paths; an 18-hole disc golf course; and a floating restaurant, to name just a few amenities.
    Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 5 July 2025
  • That same year, Water Street, which ran where River Road is today, was the first street to be named.
    Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 5 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Attach.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attach. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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