as in alienation
the loss of friendship or affection
a silly quarrel that eventually resulted in a complete and lasting estrangement between the onetime friends
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of estrangement
The novel’s efforts at cognitive estrangement begin with home and family life.
—
Stephanie Burt, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
But the old friends buried the hatchet after a decade of estrangement a couple of years ago, and sat down for lunch together at the Pierre hotel in New York City.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 30 Mar. 2026
After a period of estrangement preceded by a legal spat, Salt-N-Pepa have made peace with Spinderella, who will be part of the tour.
—Andy Greene, VIBE.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Through no fault of Newton’s, Faith functions less as a second protagonist than a prop to give Grace more emotional investment in the proceedings by saddling her with guilt over their estrangement or opportunities to nobly sacrifice herself.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 Mar. 2026
Waking up in the hospital, Grace is reunited with her younger sister Faith (Kathryn Newton), who is still her emergency contact despite years of estrangement.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026
The day after announcing her new song, Brooke opened up about her estrangement from her father in the years leading up to his death in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
Stellan Skarsgård plays an aging filmmaker whose selfish past led to an estrangement from his daughters and who wants to make a movie inspired by their mom.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
Your children's grandparents could be out of the picture due to estrangement, distance, or death.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 7 Mar. 2026
Stephanie Burt, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
But the old friends buried the hatchet after a decade of estrangement a couple of years ago, and sat down for lunch together at the Pierre hotel in New York City.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 30 Mar. 2026
After a period of estrangement preceded by a legal spat, Salt-N-Pepa have made peace with Spinderella, who will be part of the tour.
—Andy Greene, VIBE.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Through no fault of Newton’s, Faith functions less as a second protagonist than a prop to give Grace more emotional investment in the proceedings by saddling her with guilt over their estrangement or opportunities to nobly sacrifice herself.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 Mar. 2026
Waking up in the hospital, Grace is reunited with her younger sister Faith (Kathryn Newton), who is still her emergency contact despite years of estrangement.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026
The day after announcing her new song, Brooke opened up about her estrangement from her father in the years leading up to his death in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
Stellan Skarsgård plays an aging filmmaker whose selfish past led to an estrangement from his daughters and who wants to make a movie inspired by their mom.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
Your children's grandparents could be out of the picture due to estrangement, distance, or death.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 7 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for estrangement
Noun
-
The result thus far has been the intensification of American military pressure and the permanent alienation of Iran’s neighbors, some of whom will support or even join the war against it.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
-
An illegible city produces anxiety, alienation and disorientation.—
Yunus Emre Tozal,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
His wife has since filed for divorce.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The series followed her through the aftermath of a divorce and an on-again, off-again relationship with Dakota Mortensen, all of which is frowned upon by the Mormon church.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But over the past decade or so, major schisms have emerged.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
31 Mar. 2026
-
In the 2020s members of GAFCON and GSFA moved toward what some have seen as a schism with the Church of England and the more liberal provinces of the Anglican Communion.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
His disaffection baffles his acquaintances and pains his tubercular wife (a superb Quinn Jackson), whose doctor (Lambert Tamin) has only contempt for her husband’s agonizing.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
On her new single—a piano ballad of dubious sincerity—Canadian DJ and songwriter Brat Star invokes Paltrow’s greatest role as one-third of a holy trinity of disaffection.—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
On the group’s fourth album in six years, there are songs about doomscrolling, drinking, drugs, and self-loathing—alongside themes of breakups, addiction, and the yearning for a different future.—
Lily Moayeri,
SPIN,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Yuri and Juliana, fresh off a breakup with Praveena, are still figuring things out.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
After separation, the weapon follows a steep ballistic trajectory, descending at high velocity toward its target.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Apr. 2026
-
And the victory gives the Loons (2-2-2, 8 points) separation from Galaxy (1-3-2, 5 points) in the bottom of the Western Conference.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The brothers had a disagreement a couple of years ago and their friendship has suffered a rift.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
-
But the duo’s rift would grow as Page hit a splash on Saints.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Estrangement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/estrangement. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
