ESTRANGEMENT Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

estrangement

noun

Definition of estrangement

as in alienation

the loss of friendship or affection a silly quarrel that eventually resulted in a complete and lasting estrangement between the onetime friends

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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 estrangement We’re told there’s some troubling family history in their background that might have led to their estrangement, though it’s not really shown. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026 The flames of perdition, fueled by guilt, estrangement, and repression, lap at society’s sham institutions and flimsy fronts of civility. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026 The nonfiction feature examines the filmmaker’s strained relationship with her father, an estrangement caused by his Oxycontin addiction. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 21 Sep. 2026 Harry has expressed a desire to reconcile with his brother, but those close to Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, said the wounds behind the estrangement remain deep. — Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2026 Trauma and tragedies—such as the death of his parents, or periods of estrangement from his siblings—receive less scrutiny than the emotions unlocked by Virginia Woolf or Roland Barthes. — Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026 Drummer Stan Lynch left the group for good in 1994, seemingly with some musical estrangement from Petty at the time, though he was known to stay in loving contact with other members of the band in subsequent decades. — Chris Willman, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026 Their estrangement deepened after an explosive interview Harry and Meghan gave to Oprah Winfrey detailing her tumultuous time within the royal family between their 2018 wedding and their departure two years later. — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 15 Sep. 2026 That’s in large part due to the galvanizing performances of real-life couple Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem, for whom the film was written, bringing an electric emotional charge to scenes of both intimacy and estrangement. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for estrangement

Noun

The family’s alienation and the father’s divorce from the narrator’s mother are revealed through asides.

— Anna Mebel, JSTOR Daily, 17 Sep. 2026
While promoting the release, Rob and Michele described their alienation from the medical establishment.

— Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of alienation

Noun

Lowe, now a father to sons Matthew, 33, and John Owen, 30, grew up in Dayton, Ohio, before moving to California after his parents’ divorce.

— Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026
In 2023, Swift let Turner stay at her place in New York during her divorce from Jonas, and the two seemed to bond over dinners out in the city.

— Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of divorce

Noun

The book follows this story for the critical eight years between 1527 and 1535, which led to the enduring schism that created the Church of England.

— David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Sep. 2026
But schisms and heel digging are probably inevitable in such uncertain fields, Catling says.

— Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of schism

Noun

Advanced robotics and a rapid rollout of AI should counter the shrinking workforce, while creating enough new jobs to keep youth disaffection at bay.

— Ben Bland, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Their disaffection can create a culture of hopelessness and emotional stasis that lasts well past any economic recovery.

— Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of disaffection

Noun

But the separation that set Brown’s company on a path to today’s $75 billion valuation nearly didn’t happen.

— Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Touring successfully is a goal for nearly every working artist, but the separation that goes with it makes that interplay between the people and the pocketbook even more pronounced.

— Tom Roland, Billboard, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of separation

Noun

The records trace the rift on Letby’s unit between the doctors and nurses, who had not been called to testify in her defense at trial.

— Rachel Aviv, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2026
Their already fractured opposition has become even more divided in the country’s south, particularly after a Saudi rift with the United Arab Emirates in late 2025 led the latter to withdraw its support for anti-Houthi forces in the south altogether.

— Mahad D. Darar, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of rift

Browse Nearby Words

estranged

estrangement

estrangements

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“Estrangement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/estrangement. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of estrangement

noun

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