Synonym Chooser

How does the verb alienate contrast with its synonyms?

The words disaffect and estrange are common synonyms of alienate. While all three words mean "to cause one to break a bond of affection or loyalty," alienate may or may not suggest separation but always implies loss of affection or interest.

managed to alienate all his coworkers

When is it sensible to use disaffect instead of alienate?

The meanings of disaffect and alienate largely overlap; however, disaffect refers especially to those from whom loyalty is expected and stresses the effects (such as rebellion or discontent) of alienation without actual separation.

troops disaffected by hunger

In what contexts can estrange take the place of alienate?

Although the words estrange and alienate have much in common, estrange implies the development of indifference or hostility with consequent separation or divorcement.

his estranged wife

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 alienate By pandering to that fraction of voters, Kennedy risks alienating the much larger portion of Americans who might not agree with everything the CDC has done in recent years, but also don’t think that the agency’s vaccine program is comparable to a Nazi death camp, as Kennedy has claimed. Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2025 The governor’s intervention threw the future of the special election proposal into doubt and risked alienating a key ally: Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the top House Democrat who had been aggressively lobbying the governor and state lawmakers to adopt it. Benjamin Oreskes, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2025 Kelly also said that Swift alienated half the country by getting political and by endorsing Trump’s opponent, Kamala Harris. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2025 Instead of fostering stability, his words risk undoing years of diplomatic progress and alienating key U.S. allies in the region. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for alienate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alienate
Verb
  • Ford calls for export taxes on Canadian oil Trump’s trade war and his talk of making Canada the 51st U.S. state have infuriated Canadians, who are booing the American national anthem at NHL and NBA games.
    Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Tennis is an infuriating sport, and most players, amateur or professional, will have experienced flashes of self-loathing.
    Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • There are consequences to Congress ceding wide swaths of its authority to a massive administration state.
    Editorial, Boston Herald, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Losing once again could see Barca cede its one point lead at the La Liga summit over Atletico Madrid, and three point advantage at the expense of bitter rival Real Madrid.
    Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The brand also angered left-leaning customers because of its conciliatory response to right-wing attacks.
    Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025
  • The meeting angered Democrats, who were horrified by Trump and Vice President Vance's conduct.
    Andrew Solender, Axios, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • By acknowledging that leaders don’t have all the answers and are open to the ideas of others, an important message is conveyed that this is an organization that supports an inclusive culture built on new ideas and creativity.
    Michael Horowitz, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
  • While one side of the frame shows Pia racing to meet her mother at the bank, conveying her struggle as a hapless klutz, the other half displays a henna ceremony interstitial, elegantly establishing the beauty of tradition and community.
    Courtney Howard, Variety, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Christian and Brax, estranged for nearly a decade for reasons that still aren’t entirely clear, find their way back to one another through a series of charming encounters.
    Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Dear Eric: My sister (85) and I (80) have been estranged for about five years.
    R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Washington relinquished control of the waterway to Panama on December 31, 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter.
    Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Fifty-seven children have been relinquished under under safe haven laws in Connecticut since 2001, according to public testimony to the Committee on Children.
    Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 1 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • That decision immediately enraged Venezuelans in South Florida who have temporary protections from deportation, who now fear they will be sent back to a nation that has suffered economic collapse under Maduro’s authoritarian rule.
    Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2025
  • During a town hall meeting on Thursday, Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) met with hundreds of attendees enraged over his support for DOGE, which is run by Trump appointee Elon Musk.
    Emily Hallas, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • McNulty was part of the agency's elite Public Health Associate Program, assigned to the Iowa Cancer Consortium, a small group working on statewide efforts to combat what is the country's second-highest cancer rate.
    Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Robot vacuums with mopping features can easily transition between mopping and regular vacuuming based on the needs assigned by the user and tend to have a comparable cost to more traditional robot vacuums.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Alienate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alienate. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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