estranged
adjective
es·tranged
i-ˈstrānjd 
: having lost former closeness and affection : in a state of alienation from a previous close or familial relationship
her estranged husband [=her husband with whom she no longer lives]
Social workers may try to resolve conflicts between estranged siblings.—
Jonathan D. Rockoff
Jonathan D. RockoffHe had taken out a life insurance policy on his estranged wife just weeks before her murder …—David Fisher
David Fisher… it's kind of shameful to admit your idea of unwinding in front of the TV is watching somebody's entire family get murdered by their greedy, estranged uncle.—Lauren Zupkus
Lauren ZupkusExamples of estranged in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Take a peek behind the music in this tale about a Muscogee pop star who hunkers down at her estranged grandmother’s Oklahoma ranch to weather a public scandal and meets a grumpy cowboy.
—Jamie Harrow, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
Without the protection of Kamehameha, who is also Keōua’s estranged cousin, Ka’iana sees no choice but to flee with his family.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2025
The king was recently briefly reunited with his estranged younger son, and the knowledge that no details from that encounter leaked suggests that one long-running royal saga might have an end in sight.
—Alexander Larman, Time, 16 Sep. 2025
Your narrative, with its shifting of points of view among four longtime friends, allows for intimacy and drama as well as betrayals and loss as Desiree, Nakia, Monique and January (with Desiree’s estranged sister Danielle mostly on the sidelines) each tell their stories.
—Jane Ciabattari
september 16, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for estranged
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Jamie Harrow, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
Without the protection of Kamehameha, who is also Keōua’s estranged cousin, Ka’iana sees no choice but to flee with his family.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2025
The king was recently briefly reunited with his estranged younger son, and the knowledge that no details from that encounter leaked suggests that one long-running royal saga might have an end in sight.
—Alexander Larman, Time, 16 Sep. 2025
Your narrative, with its shifting of points of view among four longtime friends, allows for intimacy and drama as well as betrayals and loss as Desiree, Nakia, Monique and January (with Desiree’s estranged sister Danielle mostly on the sidelines) each tell their stories.
—Jane Ciabattari
september 16, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for estranged
Cite this Entry
“Estranged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/estranged. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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