alien 1 of 3

alien

2 of 3

verb

alien

3 of 3

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word alien different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of alien are extraneous, extrinsic, and foreign. While all these words mean "external to a thing, its essential nature, or its original character," alien is stronger than foreign in suggesting opposition, repugnance, or irreconcilability.

a practice totally alien to her nature

In what contexts can extraneous take the place of alien?

The synonyms extraneous and alien are sometimes interchangeable, but extraneous applies to what is on or comes from the outside and may or may not be capable of becoming an essential part.

arguments extraneous to the issue

When is it sensible to use extrinsic instead of alien?

While in some cases nearly identical to alien, extrinsic applies to what is distinctly outside the thing in question or is not contained in or derived from its essential nature.

sentimental value that is extrinsic to the house's market value

When could foreign be used to replace alien?

The words foreign and alien are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, foreign applies to what is so different as to be rejected or repelled or to be incapable of becoming assimilated.

techniques foreign to French cuisine

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of alien
Adjective
Clive, the giant alien in Covington Clive is a roughly 30-foot-tall, green alien who scopes out passersby through his magnifying glass in Covington, Kentucky. Jolene Almendarez, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnussen play aliens in human form who are hunting Experiment 626. Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 26 June 2025
Verb
The original alien adventure is actually looking at a good hold in its second outing, though not strong enough to overcome its rough opening weekend, which broke the record for Pixar’s lowest ever. J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 28 June 2025 What’s the process like to get all camera ready in Heather’s alien form? Nick Caruso, TVLine, 28 June 2025
Noun
But even that description fails to capture what Yagi is after: those parts of us, precious and possibly hostile, which flower in darkness, disintegrate when described, and can be compared only to alien life-forms. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2022 Neanderthal to alien, and yet strangely well-suited for the modern era. Nick Remsen, CNN, 30 Sep. 2021 See All Example Sentences for alien
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alien
Adjective
  • The only current exception is children of foreign diplomats, a position the Supreme Court has previously upheld.
    Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 28 June 2025
  • Victims include not only Venezuelan citizens but also foreign nationals, such as Colombian aid worker Manuel Tique and French-American tourist Lucas Hunter, both missing since late 2024.
    Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 June 2025
Adjective
  • Geography becomes irrelevant when AI handles the grunt work.
    Steven Wolfe Pereira, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
  • Each cancer journey is different, and others' stories can be irrelevant or trigger fears.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Cambodia angered by neighbor’s new restrictions on border crossings PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Cambodia's government on Tuesday accused Thailand of escalating border tensions by imposing new restrictions that have blocked almost all land crossings, especially for tourists heading into Cambodia.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 June 2025
  • As a mom, I’m angered at the existence of so many abusers who lure children through the internet.
    Nicole Russell, USA Today, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • When in a group, space out to prevent the current from transferring between individuals.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 29 June 2025
  • Use tongs or a large spoon to transfer a few pieces of the boozy fruit into each cup.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 June 2025
Noun
  • Mackenzie Brown is pursuing her dream of becoming a nurse thanks to the kindness of strangers.
    Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
  • Each year, teams of strangers—a composer, a writer, a choreographer, and a director—create a musical at breakneck speed.
    Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • Players can also continue to receive external payments from third-party NIL deals.
    Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2025
  • The company’s intelligence platform claims to unify internal and external data sources, allowing investment professionals to ask complex questions in natural language rather than spending time manually aggregating information.
    Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • Musk’s official tenure in Washington, D.C., ended earlier in June, just as his relationship with the president was souring.
    Ari Levy,Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 29 June 2025
  • By late 1974, the communal idealism had soured, undercut by cocaine, burnout, and turf wars among the crew.
    Noah Eckstein, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • No matter how much new manufacturing is built in the U.S., many of the materials still only come from China and any delays or missteps cede more ground to China in the middle of a brawl for AI dominance as China rapidly builds more power from coal to wind and solar.
    Jordan Blum, Fortune, 3 July 2025
  • Canada also had a clear 1.19-0.2 xG advantage thanks to a greater quantity and quality of chances created, but fully ceded that edge after halftime and was outshot 8-1 (0.04-0.64).
    Jeff Rueter, New York Times, 30 June 2025

Cite this Entry

“Alien.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alien. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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