alienate
verb
alien·ate
| \ ˈā-lē-ə-ˌnāt
, ˈāl-yə-\
, ˈāl-yə-\
alienated;
alienating
Definition of alienate
1
: to cause to be estranged : to make unfriendly, hostile, or indifferent especially where attachment formerly existed
He alienated most of his colleagues with his bad temper. Her position on this issue has alienated many former supporters.
2
: to convey or transfer (something, such as property or a right) usually by a specific act rather than the due course of law
3
: to cause to be withdrawn or diverted
alienate capital from its natural channels
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Other Words from alienate
alienator
\ -ˌnā-tər
\
noun
\
noun
Synonyms & Antonyms for alienate
Synonyms
alien, disaffect, disgruntle, estrange, sour
Antonyms
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Examples of alienate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And there are also, as D'Anastasio reports, some who think that Riot has gone too far and risks alienating its core fan base of young white men. Won't somebody think of the young white men? — Julie Muncy, WIRED, "2K Games Probed YouTuber Over Alleged Borderlands 3 Leaks," 9 Aug. 2019 Embracing public figures who helped cause those harms, without any gestures toward accountability, risks alienating those who have long supported climate action. — Dave Levitan, The New Republic, "Reformed Climate Deniers Don’t Deserve Redemption," 8 Aug. 2019 Allies have been left in the middle, even as they are alienated by a Trump administration that insults them and courts their rivals. — Adam Taylor, Washington Post, "U.S. allies risk becoming collateral damage in Iran fight," 12 July 2019 Sutter’s Kings tenure ended, however, with his players alienated by his tough-love style; a report about players locking him out of the dressing room after a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning was later confirmed by Lombardi. — Curtis Zupke, latimes.com, "Former Kings coach Darryl Sutter hired as advisor to Ducks’ coaching staff," 2 July 2019 Reports from on-the-ground media and the World Health Organization say that communities have felt alienated by the heavy-handed approach used by aid groups and the local government. — Michael Greshko, National Geographic, "What is the Ebola virus, and can it be stopped?," 9 Apr. 2019 The Paris climate accord was left behind, alienating not only our allies but all 195 nations in the world. — Dallas News, "Letters - Floyd McLendon, Ken Paxton, John Ratcliffe, U.S. budget deal, foreign meddling, Saudi arms deal,," 2 Aug. 2019 A few minutes later, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio reopened an issue that has alienated some Latino voters from the party — the high number of deportations during Obama’s first term. — Los Angeles Times, "News Analysis: Debate highlights Democrats’ diversity, but also their fraught divisions on race," 1 Aug. 2019 There's the very real risk of using these new outlets too aggressively and alienating law enforcement. — Author: Britt Peterson, Anchorage Daily News, "Victims, families and America’s thirst for true-crime stories," 31 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'alienate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for alienate
alienate
verb
English Language Learners Definition of alienate
: to make (someone) unfriendly : to cause (someone) to stop being friendly, helpful, etc., towards you
: to cause (someone) to feel that she or he no longer belongs in a particular group, society, etc.
See the full definition for alienate in the English Language Learners Dictionary
alienate
verb
alien·ate
| \ ˈā-lē-ə-ˌnāt
, ˈāl-yə-\
, ˈāl-yə-\
alienated;
alienating
Kids Definition of alienate
: to cause (a person who used to be friendly or loyal) to become unfriendly or disloyal
She alienated most of her friends with her bad temper.
alienate
transitive verb
alien·ate
| \ ˈā-lē-ə-ˌnāt, ˈāl-yə-
\
\
alienated;
alienating
Medical Definition of alienate
: to make unfriendly, hostile, or indifferent where attachment formerly existed
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alienate
transitive verb
alien·ate
| \ ˈā-lē-ə-ˌnāt
\
\
alienated;
alienating
Legal Definition of alienate
: to give away or sell (property or a property right) to another
will not sell, transfer, assign, hypothecate or otherwise alienate any of his voting shares