estranged
adjective
es·tranged
i-ˈstrānjd 
: 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
Jonathan D. RockoffHe had taken out a life insurance policy on his estranged wife just weeks before her murder …—David Fisher
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
Lauren ZupkusExamples of estranged in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the years since, Danny struggled with anger problems that pushed his ex-wife away and left him estranged from his son.
—Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 23 May 2026
Kara Young and Mallori Johnson are absolutely electric as twin sisters who set out to find the estranged, abusive father who abandoned them after leaving them and their mother horribly scarred in a fire.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
The film, which was shot entirely in Cap‑Haïtien, Haiti, presents the same kind of family tension, with an estranged son who returns home to see his aging father.
—Miami Herald, 20 May 2026
Set in 1979, the series follows Leila, a 19-year-old Pakistani-Canadian young woman with a love of film and pulp novels who travels to California to reconnect with her estranged uncle – a semi-retired private eye once celebrated for having married the starlet he was originally hired to find.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for estranged
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.
Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 23 May 2026
Kara Young and Mallori Johnson are absolutely electric as twin sisters who set out to find the estranged, abusive father who abandoned them after leaving them and their mother horribly scarred in a fire.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
The film, which was shot entirely in Cap‑Haïtien, Haiti, presents the same kind of family tension, with an estranged son who returns home to see his aging father.
—Miami Herald, 20 May 2026
Set in 1979, the series follows Leila, a 19-year-old Pakistani-Canadian young woman with a love of film and pulp novels who travels to California to reconnect with her estranged uncle – a semi-retired private eye once celebrated for having married the starlet he was originally hired to find.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for estranged
Cite this Entry
“Estranged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/estranged. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
