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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Recent Examples of estrangement
If your family’s births and weddings are public, why wouldn’t your estrangement be as well?
—
Anna Russell, New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2026
Despite the estrangement, CBS LA learned that Goodarzi was present at Papoli's memorial service in December.
—CBS News, 26 Jan. 2026
It’s primarily told in flashback from present-day, where Poppy is reluctantly reunited with Alex at his brother’s wedding in Barcelona after an estrangement.
—Emily Zemler, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Jan. 2026
In this slow-burn story of estrangement and reconciliation, the negotiation is a familial one, the fault lines emotional rather than linguistic.
—Dan Sheehan, Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
The poll found higher rates of family estrangement among men, those between 30 and 44 years, and people in the LGBTQIA+ community.
—Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 21 Jan. 2026
All that's left is to move forward in a way that feels right for you, even if that includes family estrangement, and there shouldn’t be any judgment about that choice.
—Fiona Embleton, Glamour, 20 Jan. 2026
Unclear, but the estrangement seems to have gone on for some time.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
Brooklyn took to his Instagram Stories on January 19, 2026 to explain his estrangement from dad David Beckham, mom Victoria Beckham, and his siblings.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 20 Jan. 2026
Anna Russell, New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2026
Despite the estrangement, CBS LA learned that Goodarzi was present at Papoli's memorial service in December.
—CBS News, 26 Jan. 2026
It’s primarily told in flashback from present-day, where Poppy is reluctantly reunited with Alex at his brother’s wedding in Barcelona after an estrangement.
—Emily Zemler, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Jan. 2026
In this slow-burn story of estrangement and reconciliation, the negotiation is a familial one, the fault lines emotional rather than linguistic.
—Dan Sheehan, Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
The poll found higher rates of family estrangement among men, those between 30 and 44 years, and people in the LGBTQIA+ community.
—Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 21 Jan. 2026
All that's left is to move forward in a way that feels right for you, even if that includes family estrangement, and there shouldn’t be any judgment about that choice.
—Fiona Embleton, Glamour, 20 Jan. 2026
Unclear, but the estrangement seems to have gone on for some time.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
Brooklyn took to his Instagram Stories on January 19, 2026 to explain his estrangement from dad David Beckham, mom Victoria Beckham, and his siblings.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 20 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for estrangement
Noun
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The end of alienation would mean nothing less than a reenchantment of reality.—
Hari Kunzru,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The blatant alienation of our NATO allies is a very dangerous precedent and has worldwide implications that are too numerous to list here.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Lawson, who has also made headlines over the years as part went through a very public divorce with former husband Charles Saatchi, has used being a TV chef, including on the ABC series The Taste, and publishing cookbooks to drive her on-screen career.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Less than a year after Atlee’s birth, Meyer filed for divorce.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The right’s schisms were on full display during AmericaFest, Turning Point USA’s annual conference, which took place in Phoenix this past weekend.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
22 Dec. 2025
-
But in the late 1970s and early 1980s, a painful schism emerged between them, one that led them to stop speaking to one another for an extended period of time.—
Scott Huver,
PEOPLE,
12 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The site leaned into the idea that the excellence of American institutions had been corroded by wokeism, publishing columns and first-person accounts about parents’ disaffection with progressive private-school education and Hollywood’s discrimination against conservatives.—
Clare Malone,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
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This confusion lay in the speech’s weaving, wending contradictions, and its shifts between tones, something Foster purposefully aimed for in telling the story of her life from child stardom to adult disaffection.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Neal, a Fresno State transfer, ranked fifth on the team with 55 tackles and had a team-high 2 interceptions, 10 pass breakups and 2 tackles for loss.—
Tom Murphy,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
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Durant, meanwhile, tied for the team lead with three interceptions while adding seven breakups.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Interestingly, a 2023 study from the Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens demonstrates that dolphins can remember others’ signature whistles even after long periods of separation.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Nelsen told the jury Debe was still worried about Bob after their separation.—
Sarah Prior,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Rather than just showing these thinkers reciting their greatest hits, the longform discussions showcase all of the contradictions (and occasional rifts) between members of the same movement.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
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Rumors of a family rift had been swirling since Brooklyn married Nicola Peltz Beckham in April 2022.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Estrangement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/estrangement. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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