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detached

detached

27 5.5
A person who is not affected by personal feelings and shows little emotion
  • adjective
  • /dɪˈtæʧt/
translation icon : desapegado
  • Through this contemplation, one becomes a detached observer of one's own activity.
  • a detached observer
  • a detached spectator
  • a detached perspective

So it's created sort of parents that are detached from their parental instincts.

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Examples

  • When did you become so detached?

  • Lately, though, something seems peculiar about Samantha; she seems detached and distracted.

    Academic text (2011)
  • I am successful because I am detached from my success.

  • One can become quite detached from reality when one's famous.

  • And Linda seemed kind of detached from the whole thing.

  • At times like this, Anna had to force herself to stay emotionally detached and professional.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Indifferent and emotionally detached from reality.

  • I've become so detached from my feelings I'm not sure I can feel anymore.

  • He's a sullen, detached man with very few friends.

  • He tried to remain detached during the discussion to avoid making biased decisions.

Synonyms

distant
vsdetached
61 4.9

Not friendly or warm, behaving in a quiet, cold way

is about emotional distance rather than mere physical remoteness
indifferent
vsdetached
46 4.4

Not interested or showing no strong feeling about something

emphasizes absence of emotional involvement rather than active not caring
estranged
vsdetached
40 6.7

No longer close or warm to someone you used to know well

is about emotional distance not historical relationship break
aloof
vsdetached
34 6.3

Not friendly and distant, not joining in with other people

means emotional noninvolvement rather than just unfriendly behavior
clinical
vsdetached
32 6.5

Not showing emotion or personal involvement

is similar emotionally but lacks the clinical, scientific tone
uncaring
vsdetached
18 4.2

Not showing concern for other people's feelings or needs

is about being emotionally distant rather than actively not caring
impassive
vsdetached
11 7.1

Not showing any feeling on the face or in the voice

focuses on inner noninvolvement rather than mere absence of expression
unemotional
vsdetached
11 4.4

Not showing strong feelings

is about lack of involvement rather than only outward calm
disengaged
vsdetached
1 4.7

Not involved or interested in something and not paying attention

stresses emotional distance rather than simple lack of practical connection
uninvolved
vsdetached
1 4.4

Not showing emotion about what happens

has identical meaning and no extra distinguishing nuance
cold-eyed
vsdetached
1 7.6

Not showing strong feeling when judging something

is about emotional noninvolvement rather than deliberate objectivity
unaffectionate
vsdetached
1 6.5

Not showing love or warm feelings to others

focuses on emotional distance generally rather than only lack of affection
cold-livered
vsdetached
  • Offensive
9.9

Does not feel or show care for other people

is less about possible cruelty and more about simple emotional distance
dégagé
vsdetached
9.9

Calm and relaxed, showing little worry or strong feeling

keeps the same low emotion but adds a relaxed, casual tone
withdrawn
vsdetached
4.8

Someone who is quiet and prefers to be alone instead of being with others

is emotional noninvolvement rather than a personal choice to avoid people
alienated
vsdetached
6.8

Feeling alone and not part of a group or society

refers to lack of emotional involvement rather than a feeling of isolation

Antonyms

535 2.1

Showing strong feelings that are easy to see

355 3.5

Feeling a strong emotional connection to someone or something

Compounds

detached retina
  • Specialized
2 6.3

The retina pulls away from the back of the eye, causing sudden vision loss

A house that stands alone and is not attached to other houses

A house joined to another on one side that shares a wall

How Involved

warm
280 1.0
reserved
3.7
detached
27 5.5
indifferent
46 4.4
aloof
34 6.3

Surface Forms

detached positive

Morphology

detached = detach (semi-transparent) = detach + ed

Derived from 'detach' but shifted to an abstract/emotional sense of being 'removed' or 'uninvolved', which is related but less literal.

Etymology

Detached comes from de- 'off' and attach 'join', and 'attach' can mean an emotional connection. So detached describes a person who is 'not joined' emotionally and shows little feeling.