estrangement

American  

[ih-streynj-muhnt] / ɪˈstreɪndʒ mənt /

noun

1. the state of being alienated or separated in feeling or affection; a state of hostility or unfriendliness.

   Since the summer there’s been a rift in the family over something that my daughter posted online, and I still can't figure out how this estrangement occurred over something so silly.

   Diplomatic relations between the two nations were officially restored after more than five decades of estrangement.

2. the state of being separated or removed.

   After years of forced estrangement, the families of people living in the vast refugee camp are finally beginning to get some news of their relatives there.

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Other Word Forms

• self-estrangement noun

Etymology

Origin of estrangement

estrange ( def. ) + -ment ( def. )

Example Sentences

Danni and Jordan are both keen to stress that estrangement can sometimes be necessary.

From BBC

In these verses, Hardy returns to their courtship in Cornwall, their later estrangement and Emma’s solitary last drive when “you passed the spot / Where eight days later you were to lie.”

From The Wall Street Journal

One study, published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, found that 6% of respondents reported an estrangement from their mothers, while 26% reported broken ties with their fathers.

From MarketWatch

Therapists and loved ones often give conflicting advice about whether to cut a child off, says Joshua Coleman, a psychologist who helps families with addiction and estrangement.

From The Wall Street Journal

For those of my generation on the continent, the estrangement from the U.S. feels like the death of a beloved relative—but it may not be as final.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• alienation
• disaffection
• disunity
• hostility
• schism
• separation