estranging

verb

present participle of estrange
as in alienating
to cause to change from friendly or loving to unfriendly or uncaring she estranged several of her coworkers when she let her promotion go to her head

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 estranging So, how can an organization remain current on customers' ever-changing needs and expectations without annoying or estranging them? — Chip Bell, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for estranging
  1. alienating
  2. angering
  3. infuriating
  4. outraging
  5. enraging
  6. souring
  7. severing
Verb
  • While employers aim for efficiency, this reliance on AI is alienating strong talent and eroding trust, as only 26% of candidates believe AI evaluates fairly.
    — Colleen Batchelder, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Trump pushed legal limits with boat strikes, alienating allies, but traffickers adapted.
    — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 28 July 2026
Definition of alienating
Verb
  • Leaders of the Maine Democratic Party are still working toward a process to replace Graham Platner, without angering his supporters.
    — Dan Merica, Washington Post, 9 July 2026
  • The mayor floated the idea to place Williams on probation for six months, angering the city manager’s supporters in the crowd.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
Definition of angering
Verb
  • Speaking to them on the phone is infuriating since most of the conversation is about what’s going on with Kaden.
    — Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 17 July 2026
  • The result can be a more consistent connection, fewer interruptions and less of that infuriating mid-episode quality drop.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of infuriating
Verb
  • On Day 1 of the truce, and in the days since, Israel has stepped up attacks against Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, in Lebanon, outraging Iran and leading to accusations the terms had been breached.
    — Justin Fishel, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Definition of outraging
Verb
  • Before the agreement was announced, Israeli forces struck in Beirut, enraging Trump, who has publicly expressed his fury with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
    — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
  • In May 2021, after being elected to Parliament, Ben-Gvir established a makeshift office in a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem, enraging local residents.
    — Avi Issacharoff, The Atlantic, 22 May 2026
Definition of enraging
Verb
  • The mix-up may have contributed to souring the communication between the legal teams of the companies, whose relationship appears to be increasingly frayed.
    — NBC news, NBC news, 15 July 2026
  • For retailers and brands, the implications include direct attacks on their customers that can severely damage the relationship by souring the shopping experience.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 7 July 2026
Definition of souring
Verb
  • The next afternoon, in Central Park, a 15-year-old boy named Shavod Jones shot McDonald three times, severing his spinal cord and paralyzing him from the neck down.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • The ongoing housing crisis, characterized by soaring rents and unattainable mortgages, is profoundly disrupting communities, forcing displacement and severing crucial relationships.
    — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of severing

Browse Nearby Words

estranges
estranging
estuaries
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Estranging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/estranging. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on estranging

Nglish: Translation of estranging for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All