alienated

American  

[ey-lee-uh-ney-tid, eyl-yuh-] / ˈeɪ li əˌneɪ tɪd, ˈeɪl yə- /

adjective

1. indifferent or hostile.

   A year after the floods, the failure of the promised rehabilitation package has fed an already alienated populace's sense of hurt and anger towards the government.

2. withdrawn or isolated from the objective world.

   Albert Camus's novel The Stranger is the story of an alienated, unfeeling man who kills someone for no reason and dies without remorse.

3. turned away from its original purpose or course; transferred or diverted.

   The investment firm, which misappropriated millions of dollars committed to it, was required to restore the alienated funds to the plaintiff.

4. Law. (of property, title, rights, etc.) transferred or conveyed to another.

   Much reservation territory is now owned and controlled by non-Indigenous people, depriving Indigenous nations of billions of dollars in potential income from these alienated lands.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of alienate.

Other Word Forms

• unalienated adjective

Etymology

Origin of alienated

alienate ( def. ) + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Divorce, marriage, kids, no kids; so many of the men in McCarthy’s orbit feel alienated, adrift, untethered to any community.

From Los Angeles Times

Papa Johns has battled years of challenges, in 2017 after its founder and former Chief Executive Officer John Schnatter made a series of controversial statements that alienated many customers.

From The Wall Street Journal

But over the years, Horning’s unconventional style alienated some.

From The Wall Street Journal

They say that the gaping revenue disparity between big-market teams like the two-time defending champion Dodgers and their small-market counterparts has hurt competitive balance and alienated fans.

From The Wall Street Journal

Overzealous security guards, higher prices and overcrowding at parties also alienated longtime fans.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• disaffected