estrange

verb

es·​trange i-ˈstrānj 

estranged; estranging

transitive verb

1

: to arouse especially mutual enmity or indifference in (someone) where there had formerly been love, affection, or friendliness : alienate

John's excesses gradually estranged him from his mother …

—Philip Norman

She became estranged from her family.

2

: to remove from customary environment or associations

The first words spoken were not those of one becoming estranged from this world, and already permitted to stray at times into realms foreign to the living.

—Charlotte Brontë

estrangement

i-ˈstrānj-mənt 

noun

her estrangement from her family

estranger noun

Synonyms of estrange

• infuriate
• alienate
• anger
• alien
• enrage
• outrage
• sour
• sever

Choose the Right Synonym for estrange

estrange, alienate, disaffect mean to cause one to break a bond of affection or loyalty.

estrange implies the development of indifference or hostility with consequent separation or divorcement.

his estranged wife

alienate may or may not suggest separation but always implies loss of affection or interest.

managed to alienate all his coworkers

disaffect refers especially to those from whom loyalty is expected and stresses the effects (such as rebellion or discontent) of alienation without actual separation.

troops disaffected by hunger

Examples of estrange in a Sentence

she estranged several of her coworkers when she let her promotion go to her head

Recent Examples on the Web

Acton, 60, is facing off against Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who ran an attack ad in October featuring her mother, Donna Arthur, from whom Acton has been estranged since 1978. — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2026

Collin has been estranged from his mom and most of siblings for years, and recently accused Kate of child abuse in his memoir, In the Shadow of Eight. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Nov. 2026

Sagal will play Kathleen Gavin, Louisa’s (Abigail Spencer) estranged mother and the only person in the world who’s not welcome in Port Wenn. — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2026

At the Goss residence, no one seems aware that Clive has disappeared down some gnarly internet rabbit holes, spending his nights on the couch, estranged from his wife, Marie (Pooky Quesnel), watching bombings and car crashes. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French estrangir, estranger, from Medieval Latin extraneare, from Latin extraneus strange — more at strange entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for estrange

• arrange
• derange
• exchange
• midrange
• change
• grange
• mange
• range
• strange
• interchange
• rearrange

Kids Definition

estrange

verb

es·​trange is-ˈtrānj 

estranged; estranging

: to cause to change from friendly or loving to unfriendly or uncaring : alienate

estranged from their children

estrangement

-mənt 

noun