estrange

verb

es·​trange i-ˈstrānj How to pronounce estrange (audio)
estranged; estranging

transitive verb

1
: to arouse especially mutual enmity or indifference in (someone) where there had formerly been love, affection, or friendliness : alienate
John's excesses gradually estranged him from his mother …Philip Norman
She became estranged from her family.
2
: to remove from customary environment or associations
The first words spoken were not those of one becoming estranged from this world, and already permitted to stray at times into realms foreign to the living.Charlotte Brontë
estrangement noun
her estrangement from her family
estranger noun
Choose the Right Synonym for estrange

estrange, alienate, disaffect mean to cause one to break a bond of affection or loyalty.

estrange implies the development of indifference or hostility with consequent separation or divorcement.

his estranged wife

alienate may or may not suggest separation but always implies loss of affection or interest.

managed to alienate all his coworkers

disaffect refers especially to those from whom loyalty is expected and stresses the effects (such as rebellion or discontent) of alienation without actual separation.

troops disaffected by hunger

Examples of estrange in a Sentence

she estranged several of her coworkers when she let her promotion go to her head
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After all, Rodgers has been notoriously estranged from his family for about a decade. Martha Ross, Mercury News, 25 June 2025 She was estranged from her husband, Thomas Albert Tamayo Lizarraga, 45, who police say shot Zamora and her date, Hector Garduno, 43, just after 9:30 p.m. outside a sushi restaurant on the 15200 block of Summit Avenue. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025 Offset is currently estranged from Cardi B, who filed for divorce from him for a second time in July 2024. Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 24 June 2025 Until this past offseason, Sosa, 56, had been largely estranged from the Cubs, a franchise that has undergone almost a complete turnover since his last game in 2004. Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for estrange

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French estrangir, estranger, from Medieval Latin extraneare, from Latin extraneus strange — more at strange entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of estrange was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Estrange.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/estrange. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

estrange

verb
es·​trange is-ˈtrānj How to pronounce estrange (audio)
estranged; estranging
: to cause to change from friendly or loving to unfriendly or uncaring : alienate
estranged from their children
estrangement noun

More from Merriam-Webster on estrange

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