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

• 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

McKay, played by Matthew McConaughey, is depicted as a man already under strain, estranged from his teenage son and caring for a dying mother, who becomes the only driver able to answer a desperate call for help. —Andy Hazel, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2025

College friends, they’ve been estranged for many years before reconnecting after the death of Ronny’s partner, Sho. —Willing Davidson, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2025

Drummer Joyce has been estranged from Morrissey and Marr following a 1996 lawsuit over the Smiths royalties that was contentious. —Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2025

Donna Adelson’s eldest son, Rob Adelson, testified that he’s been estranged from his mother since 2016, around the time law enforcement arrested the gunmen who killed Markel. —Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2025

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