estranged
Americanadjective
-
displaying or evincing a feeling of alienation; alienated.
The setting denotes the estranged environment in which the protagonists saw themselves when fighting for recognition.
-
no longer in a friendly or affectionate relationship with a family member or friend, and typically living apart.
His estranged wife is living only 10 miles away.
adjective
-
separated and living apart from one's spouse
-
no longer friendly; alienated
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of estranged
Explanation
The adjective estranged suggests a loss of affection, a turning away from someone. When a couple separates, we often refer to them as estranged — or no longer together. The word estranged is an unfriendly word with a negative connotation. The word strange within it seems to suggest an alienation of affection, and that a loving relationship has not only soured, but turned distant and even somewhat hostile. While the word is usually used to describe a human relationship, it can also refer to a political situation where nations that were once allies develop conflicts and become estranged.
Vocabulary lists containing estranged
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
We’re not estranged; we just haven’t invested energy in staying closely connected.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
In June, he added novelist to an already stacked resume with “Palmdale,” his incredibly entertaining dirtbag-noir debut about a PI and his estranged daughter reuniting over a case.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
It was an epic remembrance, with feelings complicated by the fact that Mastodon was estranged from Hinds at the time of his death at 51 from a motorcycle crash in 2025.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
When I interview parents who are estranged from their adult children, many say: “My child cut me off out of the blue. I didn’t see it coming.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
She didn’t know, because I never told her, that my friends were a bit estranged.
From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
