as in estrangement
the loss of friendship or affection
after years of alienation from her family, she became reconciled with them when her father fell ill
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Recent Examples of alienation
The result thus far has been the intensification of American military pressure and the permanent alienation of Iran’s neighbors, some of whom will support or even join the war against it.
—
Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026
An illegible city produces anxiety, alienation and disorientation.
—Yunus Emre Tozal, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Not all of it works, but Bale is essentially perfect, portraying both the innocence and the increasing alienation of his young hero.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2026
That alienation was increased by Preminger’s treatment of Seberg on set, which was, by all first-hand accounts, extremely harsh.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for alienation
Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026
An illegible city produces anxiety, alienation and disorientation.
—Yunus Emre Tozal, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Not all of it works, but Bale is essentially perfect, portraying both the innocence and the increasing alienation of his young hero.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2026
That alienation was increased by Preminger’s treatment of Seberg on set, which was, by all first-hand accounts, extremely harsh.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for alienation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alienation
estrangement
Noun
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Degrees of estrangement are common in dysfunctional families, and this book depicts their slippery, progressive nature.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
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Therefore any estrangement would have been a loss to the school, and not to your own status.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Alienation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alienation. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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