alienate

verb

alien·​ate ˈā-lē-ə-ˌnāt 

ˈāl-yə-

alienated; alienating

transitive verb

1

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

He alienated most of his colleagues with his bad temper.

Her position on this issue has alienated many former supporters.

2

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

3

: to cause to be withdrawn or diverted

alienate capital from its natural channels

alienator

ˈā-lē-ə-ˌnā-tər 

ˈāl-yə-

noun

Synonyms of alienate

• infuriate
• anger
• estrange
• enrage
• annoy
• alien
• outrage

Choose the Right Synonym for alienate

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 alienate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Isak is stoic and practical, seeking to carve himself a place in this still-unclaimed land; Inger, whose cleft palate has left her feeling alienated from the outside world, finally feels accepted enough to carve it with him. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026

How Mayor Bass could reach Pratt voters The Bass and Raman campaigns could rely on outside spending groups and campaign surrogates — political allies who lean to the right of the candidates — to avoid alienating their core supporters. — Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Qualley holds this all together with a tricky performance that sometimes is actually alienating. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2026

In particular, the absence of the UAE and the dissolution of the STC have alienated an important southern constituency in the anti-Houthi coalition and deprived the coalition of a militarily capable external backer. — April Longley Alley, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin aliēnātus, past participle of aliēnāre "to transfer (goods, property) to another, lose possession of, render hostile, estrange," verbal derivative of aliēnus "not one's own, of others, foreign, strange" — more at alien entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for alienate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate
• annotate

Kids Definition

alienate

verb

alien·​ate ˈā-lē-ə-ˌnāt 

ˈāl-yə-ˌnāt

alienated; alienating

1

: to transfer (as a title, property, or right) to another

2

: to cause (one who used to be friendly or loyal) to become unfriendly or disloyal

Medical Definition

alienate

transitive verb

alien·​ate ˈā-lē-ə-ˌnāt, ˈāl-yə- 

alienated; alienating

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

Legal Definition

alienate

transitive verb

alien·​ate ˈā-lē-ə-ˌnāt 

alienated; alienating

: to give away or sell (property or a property right) to another

will not sell, transfer, assign, hypothecate or otherwise alienate any of his voting shares

—Strickland v. Rahaim, 549 So. 2d 58 (1989)

compare devise

alienation

ˌā-lē-ə-ˈnā-shən, ˌāl-yə- 

noun

Etymology

Latin alienare, from alienus not one's own