estranged

adjective

es·​tranged i-ˈstrānjd How to pronounce estranged (audio)
Synonyms of estrangednext
: having lost former closeness and affection : in a state of alienation from a previous close or familial relationship
her estranged husband [=her husband with whom she no longer lives]
Social workers may try to resolve conflicts between estranged siblings.Jonathan D. Rockoff
He had taken out a life insurance policy on his estranged wife just weeks before her murder …David Fisher
… it's kind of shameful to admit your idea of unwinding in front of the TV is watching somebody's entire family get murdered by their greedy, estranged uncle.Lauren Zupkus

Examples of estranged in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Jonsson plays Taylor, a watchful, aged-beyond-his-years introvert who has spent 13 years behind bars on a manslaughter charge — missing almost the entire life of his teenage son Adam (Cole Martin), from whom the boy’s mother is determined to keep him estranged. Guy Lodge, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026 Set in 1993, the movie centers on estranged friends Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo), who are recruited by the mysterious Chun-Li (Callina Liang) to face the world's roughest, toughest street fighters – and possibly each other – in a brutal tournament. James Powel, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026 Traveling on foot, a young man returns to Haiti to reconnect with his estranged father. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026 The estranged couple, who had been married 19 years, were going through divorce proceedings at the time of the incident. Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for estranged

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of estranged was in 1538

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Cite this Entry

“Estranged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/estranged. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.

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