attach

/əˈtæt͡ʃ/

//əˈtæt͡ʃ// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"attach" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“attach” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #10,328. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#10,328
frequency rank, English
3,931
“A” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To fasten, to join to (literally and figuratively).

Corpus desk

Index EN-attach · attach · English

attach · rank #10,328 · 7 variants · 10 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #10,328
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 10 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,931
  • PHOTO-FINISH atoms

Nearest frequency peer: atoms (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “attach”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “attach” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

attach vs attic
67% similar
attach vs attack
83% similar
attach vs attain
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for attach
PropertyValue
Headwordattach
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/əˈtæt͡ʃ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#10,328
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “attach”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).attachlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “atoms” (#10,327), “awaiting” (#10,329), “Bayern” (#10,330). Among 3,931 “A” headwords, “attach” is #10,328. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around attach (IPA /əˈtæt͡ʃ/), averb. Corpus frequency is #10,328 among 3,931 “A” headwords. Wiktionary lists 8 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for attach, with forms such as "atach", "atatch", and "attacch". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 10 confusable-pair relationships, "attic", "attack", "attain", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English attachen, from Old French atachier, variant of estachier (“bind”), derived from estache (“stick”), from Frankish *stakkā, *stakō (“stick”), from Proto-Germanic *stakô (“pole, bar, stick, stake”). Doublet of attack. More at stake, stack. … The correct English form is attach, spelled A-T-T-A-C-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    To fasten, to join to (literally and figuratively).
  2. 2
    To adhere; to be attached.
  3. 3
    To include an attachment with a communication (especially an email or other electronic communication).
  4. 4
    To come into legal operation in connection with anything; to vest.
  5. 5
    To win the heart of; to connect by ties of love or self-interest; to attract; to fasten or bind by moral influence; with to.
  6. 6
    To connect, in a figurative sense; to ascribe or attribute; to affix; with to.
  7. 7
    To take, seize, or lay hold of.
  8. 8
    To arrest, seize.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how attach appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. You need to attach the carabiner to your harness.
  2. An officer is attached to a certain regiment, company, or ship.

Etymology

From Middle English attachen, from Old French atachier, variant of estachier (“bind”), derived from estache (“stick”), from Frankish *stakkā, *stakō (“stick”), from Proto-Germanic *stakô (“pole, bar, stick, stake”). Doublet of attack. More at stake, stack. Displaced native Old English þīedan.

This word in other languages

adjuntar(Español)attacher(Français)anbringen(Deutsch)anexar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • atach
  • atatch
  • attacch
  • attachh
  • attahc
  • attcah
  • tatach

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of attach - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

atach1atatch2attacch1attachh1attahc2attcah2tatach2
Edit distance from "attach"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "attach"?
"attach" is spelled A-T-T-A-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈtæt͡ʃ/.
What does "attach" mean?
As a verb, "attach" means: To fasten, to join to (literally and figuratively).
What words are commonly confused with "attach"?
"attach" is commonly confused with "attic", "attack", "attain". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "attach"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "attach" is /əˈtæt͡ʃ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "attach"?
From Middle English attachen, from Old French atachier, variant of estachier (“bind”), derived from estache (“stick”), from Frankish *stakkā, *stakō (“stick”), from Proto-Germanic *stakô (“pole, bar, stick, stake”). Doublet of attack. More at stak... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "attach", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Bayern#10,330warmer#10,315voiced#10,313twitch#10,303

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

bowls7 variantsc'mon7 variantsChloe7 variantsveins7 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list