alienate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to make indifferent or hostile.
By refusing to get a job, he has alienated his entire family.
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to cause to be withdrawn or isolated from the objective world.
Bullying alienates already shy students from their classmates.
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to turn away; transfer or divert.
to alienate funds from their intended purpose.
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Law. to transfer or convey, as title, property, or other right, to another.
to alienate lands.
verb
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to cause (a friend, sympathizer, etc) to become indifferent, unfriendly, or hostile; estrange
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to turn away; divert
to alienate the affections of a person
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law to transfer the ownership of (property, title, etc) to another person
Related Words
See estrange.
Other Word Forms
- alienator noun
- nonalienating adjective
- realienate verb (used with object)
- unalienating adjective
Etymology
Origin of alienate
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
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.
But the more interesting issue is how that went down without alienating those who thought otherwise.
From Barron's
It also would all but destroy Detroit’s immediate chances, demoralize the clubhouse and likely alienate a fan base desperate to see the Tigers win their first title since 1984.
However, his vocal support for judges probing a corruption scandal in defence procurement also risked alienating powerful elements of the military.
From BBC
But Marmatakis’ designs, often gorgeously abstract, are intended to entice viewers, not alienate them.
From Los Angeles Times
Europe's leaders are trying to avoid further alienating the US president, while fighting for Ukrainian sovereignty and future continental stability.
From BBC
Definitions 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.
