Synonym Chooser

How does the verb alienate contrast with its synonyms?

The words disaffect and estrange are common synonyms of alienate. While all three words mean "to cause one to break a bond of affection or loyalty," alienate may or may not suggest separation but always implies loss of affection or interest.

managed to alienate all his coworkers

When is it sensible to use disaffect instead of alienate?

The meanings of disaffect and alienate largely overlap; however, 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

In what contexts can estrange take the place of alienate?

Although the words estrange and alienate have much in common, estrange implies the development of indifference or hostility with consequent separation or divorcement.

his estranged wife

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 alienate So alienating retailers was truly foolish, and trying to keep more revenue by cutting out middlemen was unsustainable. Peter Georgescu, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025 But Musk's activities with DOGE — including cutting tens of thousands of federal workers and accessing taxpayers' personal data — have alienated some consumers and sparked protests across the globe, causing the stock price to deflate. Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2025 There were good reasons for this: disappointing post-COVID economic growth, dire demographics, and a foreign policy alienating much of the world. Foreign Affairs, 17 Apr. 2025 Many marketers fear trying things that might alienate traditional customers, but the old fans of Hostess Twinkies were already leaving. Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for alienate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alienate
Verb
  • The effort has infuriated critics in a city that has pioneered harm reduction.
    Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Season 5 had it all: romances, redemption arcs, infuriating men, explosive fights, and two of the show’s biggest stars, Molly-Mae Hague and Maura Higgins.
    Lindsey Lanquist, StyleCaster, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But in Mexico, which in defeat was forced to cede more than half of its territory to the U.S., memories of the war and other military quarrels with the nation’s powerful northern neighbor remain deeply felt.
    Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025
  • The Russian attack came amid intensifying negotiations to end the war, with White House officials pressuring Zelenskyy and Ukraine to accept a potential peace plan that may include ceding land to Russia, according to a senior Ukrainian official.
    Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • This week, President Donald Trump froze $2.2 billion in grants to Harvard University, angering members of the Elbow Patch Mafia around America.
    Christian Schneider, National Review, 17 Apr. 2025
  • That meeting angered Israeli officials, and reportedly Dermer in particular.
    Alex Marquardt, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In another, in which Ando conveys the contradictions of the night sky, the top half of the work is obscured and the clouds appear faintly below.
    Tom Teicholz, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Hegseth said reporting of his use of the Signal messaging app to convey sensitive information about a forthcoming attack on Houthi targets in Yemen, including to his wife and brother, was intended to undermine President Donald Trump.
    Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But this is also a movie about parents who are fighting to hold on to the children who are for one reason or another, estranged.
    Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Jackson was estranged from her family and was never reported missing, Fitzpatrick said.
    Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Fittingly posted on a Wednesday (April 23), the two-minute preview opens with Jenna Ortega’s Wednesday making her way back to Nevermore Academy, a journey that involves the teenager reluctantly relinquishing her many weapons to TSA agents at an airport.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 23 Apr. 2025
  • But the Trump administration is now relinquishing its influence over the multilateral system, preferring instead to handle countries one by one, transaction by transaction.
    Ngaire Woods, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Warren was beloved by the Cherry Grove community — by then, the Pines’s more bohemian counterpart — and her rejection enraged many, including Thom Hansen, who performed in drag as Panzi.
    Elyssa Goodman, Them., 25 Apr. 2025
  • In the TikTok video that enraged so many of these men, the gimmick is that the executives are participating in a girly TikTok trend within the confines of their office.
    Constance Grady, Vox, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The State Department confirmed Anton's role on Thursday, assigning him responsibility for detailing the potential deal, which would include sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on Iran's nuclear program.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Similar to any reward system used to manage behavior, Dr. Egger says parents can cause children to unintentionally assigning a high emotional value to screen time, which leads to dependence.
    Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 25 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Alienate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alienate. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

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