alienate

[ey-lee-uh-neyt, eyl-yuh-]

verb (used with object)

alienated, alienating 

1. to make indifferent or hostile.

   By refusing to get a job, he has alienated his entire family.

2. to cause to be withdrawn or isolated from the objective world.

   Bullying alienates already shy students from their classmates.

3. to turn away; transfer or divert.

   to alienate funds from their intended purpose.

4. Law.,  to transfer or convey, as title, property, or other right, to another.

   to alienate lands.

alienate

/ ˈeɪlɪə-, ˈeɪljəˌneɪt /

verb

1. to cause (a friend, sympathizer, etc) to become indifferent, unfriendly, or hostile; estrange

2. to turn away; divert

   to alienate the affections of a person

3. law to transfer the ownership of (property, title, etc) to another person

Other Word Forms

• alienator noun
• nonalienating adjective
• realienate verb (used with object)
• unalienating adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of alienate¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin aliēnātus (past participle of aliēnāre “to transfer by sale, estrange”), equivalent to aliēn(us) “belonging to another, another's, foreign, alien ” + -ātus -ate ¹

Synonym Study

See estrange.

Example Sentences

She says she finds the city to be a bit “alienating” with a “uniquely heavy” energy.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

That approach may energize a small slice of the party’s base, but it alienates voters that Democrats need to win.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Despite all this, it doesn’t make sense for the U.S. to alienate India.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“The new initiatives eliminate key points of differentiation from competitors and risk alienating a segment of the traditional customer base,” Gimme Credit analyst Jay Cushing wrote in a note earlier this month.

Read more on Barron's

“If the United States was truly interested in combating organized crime and drug trafficking,” she said, “why would they alienate the one partner in the region who is capable and willing to help?”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• disaffect 
• divide 
• estrange 
• separate 
• turn off