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
- estrangedness noun
- unestranged adjective
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
Dissed List: Breakup Words for Valentine's Day
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Into the Wild
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The Crossover
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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.
“L.A. is not, in my mind, a dating city,” said the comedian, who opened up about his experiences dating as a gay man and later meeting his estranged half-brother, who is also gay.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
He is estranged from his son so he does not mind you inheriting his estate.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026
Cynthia decided to do it herself, so she called her estranged husband, Don Gonzalez, a truck driver, and asked him to leave work to pick up their daughter.
From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026
"It's such a messed-up situation. It's just so complex," Caroline, 25, says of the estranged relationship.
From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026
Hell could be no more lonely or hopeless, no more agonizingly estranged from the world of order and harmony.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
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.
