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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of estrangement
Degrees of estrangement are common in dysfunctional families, and this book depicts their slippery, progressive nature.
—
Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Therefore any estrangement would have been a loss to the school, and not to your own status.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 27 Apr. 2026
This week, motherhood has been a buzzy topic for Beckham, who recently spoke about the family's estrangement from 27-year-old son Brooklyn, who released a series of bombshell confessions about the rift in January.
—Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
Victoria Beckham has spoken out for the first time since her son Brooklyn Beckham’s estrangement from the family.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Therefore any estrangement would have been a loss to the school, and not to your own status.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 27 Apr. 2026
This week, motherhood has been a buzzy topic for Beckham, who recently spoke about the family's estrangement from 27-year-old son Brooklyn, who released a series of bombshell confessions about the rift in January.
—Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
Victoria Beckham has spoken out for the first time since her son Brooklyn Beckham’s estrangement from the family.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for estrangement
Noun
-
That’s a recipe for alienation.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Studies show some teens spend hours on their phones a day — and that the highest social-media users suffer most from alienation and depression.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Draper's comments come about a month after her ex-husband, Jordan Ngatikaura, filed for divorce, as PEOPLE confirmed on March 19.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
4 May 2026
-
Julie Harding filed for divorce and, in May 2022, withdrew more than $220,000 from three bank accounts without Michael Harding’s consent.—
Fedor Zarkhin,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
Noun
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Coming up in the nineteen-sixties, his childhood coincided with a schism in Black politics.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
By yesterday, the administration had decided to give the country through the weekend to resolve its regime schism.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Our hypothetical ambitious fifteen-year-old is exceptional, of course, and certainly not the bellwether for today’s disaffection about higher education.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
5 May 2026
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On her new single—a piano ballad of dubious sincerity—Canadian DJ and songwriter Brat Star invokes Paltrow’s greatest role as one-third of a holy trinity of disaffection.—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Later waves followed the collapse of empires after the First World War, the great era of decolonization after the Second, and the breakup of the Soviet Union.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Along with that breakup bombshell, this episode also marks the show’s first cast trip, hosted by Alicia and Liz.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
4 May 2026
Noun
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The former couple announced their separation in August 2023.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
5 May 2026
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In Church’s day, that separation depended on promoting a robust idea of American innocence over Europe’s enfeebling corruption.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Noun
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Reps for Harry and Meghan have denied there is any rift, but the questions remain.—
StyleCaster Editors,
StyleCaster,
3 May 2026
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The arrests have exposed a rift in the Iranian American community, which has grown increasingly polarized in recent years, leading to online smear campaigns and at times violence.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Estrangement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/estrangement. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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