alienation

noun

alien·​ation ˌā-lē-ə-ˈnā-shən 

ˌāl-yə-

1

: a withdrawing or separation of a person or a person's affections from an object or position of former attachment : estrangement

alienation … from the values of one's society and family

—S. L. Halleck

2

: a conveyance of property to another

Synonyms

• disaffection
• disgruntlement
• estrangement
• souring

Examples of alienation in a Sentence

after years of alienation from her family, she became reconciled with them when her father fell ill

Recent Examples on the Web

Callahan’s writing emits the most heat in these scenes of romantic malaise, in which the filmmaker works on Eliza’s perceptions and psyche almost as deafness does: both seem to produce a sort of poetic alienation, a sensitivity that tips over into numbness. —Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2024

But continuing to ignore Black Americans’ long-standing unease about the impact of military operations only risks deepening their alienation from U.S. policies—and undermining their willingness to support government policies in the future. —Naima Green-Riley, Foreign Affairs, 23 Feb. 2024

The disconnection from their religious community and broader society can create intense feelings of isolation, alienation, and even anger. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024

Hormel Chili has a solution for one of the biggest social dilemmas facing Americans today: Dip once or double dip and risk alienation from the snack table? —Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2024

But there is a deeper sense of alienation lurking beneath the one-liners and thirst traps; at one point in our chat, Dabice wells up with tears while relaying the specific kind of seclusion touring musicians endure. —Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 13 Mar. 2024

Celebrities play it now, everyone's seen Game of Thrones and Stranger Things, and a game centered around in-person imagination and collaboration has taken on new resonance in an age of increasing alienation. —Chancellor Agard, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024

Editor’s picks That sense of alienation and the hardships of immigration is just one of the many threads that Torres spun together to create this film, which premiered at SXSW in 2023 and was finally — after delays due to the Hollywood strikes last summer — released by A24 this month. —Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2024

But even at its most outlandish, the film is trying to communicate something very real about youthful alienation and the lengths that people will go to feel seen. —Keaton Bell, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English alienacioun "transference of property rights, derangement, estrangement," borrowed from Anglo-French alienaciun, alienation, borrowed from Latin aliēnātiōn-, aliēnātiō "transference of ownership, estrangement, hostility" (mentis aliēnātiō "mental disorder, insanity"), from aliēnāre "to transfer (goods, property) to another, render hostile, estrange" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at alienate

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing alienation

• self-alienation

Kids Definition

alienation

noun

alien·​ation ˌā-lē-ə-ˈnā-shən 

ˌāl-yə-ˈnā-

1

: a withdrawing or separation of a person or a person's affection from an object of past attachment

2

: a transfer of property to another

Medical Definition

alienation

noun

alien·​ation ˌā-lē-ə-ˈnā-shən, ˌāl-yə- 

: a withdrawing or separation of a person or a person's affections from an object or position of former attachment

alienation … from the values of one's society and family

—S. L. Halleck