alienate
[ eyl-yuh-neyt, ey-lee-uh- ]
/ ˈeɪl yəˌneɪt, ˈeɪ li ə- /
verb (used with object), al·ien·at·ed, al·ien·at·ing.
to make indifferent or hostile: By refusing to get a job, he has alienated his entire family.
to cause to be withdrawn or isolated from the objective world: Bullying alienates already shy students from their classmates.
to turn away; transfer or divert: to alienate funds from their intended purpose.
Law. to transfer or convey, as title, property, or other right, to another: to alienate lands.
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RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
- alidade,
- alien,
- alien and sedition acts,
- alienable,
- alienage,
- alienation,
- alienation of affections,
- alienee,
- aliener,
- alieni generis
Origin of alienate
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for alienated
alienate
/ (ˈeɪljəˌneɪt, ˈeɪlɪə-) /
verb (tr)
to cause (a friend, sympathizer, etc) to become indifferent, unfriendly, or hostile; estrange
to turn away; divertto alienate the affections of a person
law to transfer the ownership of (property, title, etc) to another person
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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alienate
1540s, "make estranged" (in feelings or affections), from Latin alienatus, past participle of alienare "to make another's, estrange," from alienus "of or belonging to another person or place," from alius "(an)other" (see alias (adv.)). Related: Alienated; alienating.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper