alienate

alien·ate

transitive verb \ˈā-lē-ə-ˌnāt, ˈāl-yə-\

alien·at·edalien·at·ing

Definition of ALIENATE

1

: to make unfriendly, hostile, or indifferent especially where attachment formerly existed

2

: to convey or transfer (as property or a right) usually by a specific act rather than the due course of law

3

: to cause to be withdrawn or diverted

— alien·ator \-ˌnā-tər\ noun

Examples of ALIENATE

1. He alienated most of his colleagues with his bad temper.
2. Her position on this issue has alienated many former supporters.

First Known Use of ALIENATE

circa 1509

Related to ALIENATE

Synonyms

alien, estrange, disaffect, disgruntle, sour

Antonyms

reconcile

Related Words

antagonize, embitter, envenom; aggravate, anger, enrage, incense, inflame (also enflame), infuriate, madden, outrage, rankle, rile, roil; break up, dissociate, disunite, divide, separate, sever, split, sunder, uncouple, unlink, unyoke; disappoint, disenchant, disillusion; annoy, bother, bug, chafe, exasperate, gall, grate, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pique, rile, vex

Near Antonyms

endear, ingratiate; appease, conciliate, disarm, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate

See Synonym Discussion at estrange

Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

Rhymes with ALIENATE

abbreviate, abominate, accelerate, accentuate, accommodate, acculturate, accumulate, adjudicate, adulterate, affiliate, agglomerate, alleviate, alliterate, amalgamate, ameliorate, amyl nitrate, annihilate, annunciate, anticipate, apostolate, appreciate, appropriate, approximate, arpeggiate, articulate, asphyxiate, assassinate, asseverate, assimilate, associate, at any rate, attenuate, authenticate, barbiturate, bicarbonate, calumniate, capacitate, capitulate, catholicate, certificate, coagulate, coelenterate, collaborate, commemorate, commiserate, communicate, compassionate, concatenate, conciliate, confabulate, confederate, conglomerate, congratulate, consolidate, contaminate, cooperate, coordinate, corroborate, deactivate, debilitate, decapitate, decelerate, decerebrate, deconcentrate, deconsecrate, decorticate, decrepitate, de-escalate, defibrinate, defoliate, degenerate, deliberate, delineate, demodulate, denominate, depopulate, depreciate, deracinate, deregulate, desegregate, desiderate, detoxicate, devaluate, diaconate, dilapidate, discriminate, disintegrate, disseminate, dissimulate, dissociate, domesticate, effectuate, ejaculate, elaborate, electroplate, eliminate, elucidate, emaciate, emancipate, emasculate, encapsulate, enumerate, enunciate, episcopate, equivocate, eradicate, etiolate, evacuate, evaluate, evaporate, eventuate, eviscerate, exacerbate, exaggerate, exasperate, excited state, excogitate, excoriate, exfoliate, exhilarate, exonerate, expatiate, expatriate, expectorate, expostulate, expropriate, extenuate, exterminate, extrapolate, facilitate, felicitate, fish or cut bait, garrison state, gesticulate, habilitate, habituate, hallucinate, humiliate, hydrogenate, hypothecate, illuminate, impersonate, inactivate, inaugurate, incarcerate, incinerate, incorporate, incriminate, indoctrinate, inebriate, infatuate, infuriate, ingratiate, ingurgitate, initiate, inoculate, inseminate, insinuate, instantiate, intercalate, interpolate, interrelate, interrogate, intimidate, intoxicate, invalidate, investigate, invigorate, irradiate, Italianate, Korea Strait, lanceolate, legitimate, luxuriate, mandarinate, manipulate, matriarchate, matriculate, Merthiolate, necessitate, negotiate, noncandidate, obliterate, officiate, Orange Free State, orientate, originate, oxygenate, participate, particulate, patriarchate, patriciate, perambulate, peregrinate, perpetuate, pontificate, precipitate, predestinate, predominate, prefabricate, premeditate, preponderate, prevaricate, procrastinate, prognosticate, proliferate, propitiate, proportionate, quadruplicate, quintuplicate, reciprocate, recriminate, recuperate, redecorate, reduplicate, reeducate, refrigerate, regenerate, regurgitate, reincarnate, reintegrate, reiterate, rejuvenate, remunerate, repatriate, repudiate, resuscitate, retaliate, reticulate, revaluate, reverberate, scholasticate, second estate, self-flagellate, self-immolate, self-pollinate, seventy-eight, sextuplicate, Singapore Strait, sophisticate, subordinate, substantiate, syllabicate, tergiversate, transliterate, triangulate, vanity plate, variegate, vaticinate, vituperate, vociferate

alien·ate

transitive verb \ˈā-lē-ə-ˌnāt, ˈāl-yə-\   (Medical Dictionary)

alien·at·ed; alien·at·ing

Medical Definition of ALIENATE

: to make unfriendly, hostile, or indifferent where attachment formerly existed