alienation
noun
alien·ation
| \ ˌā-lē-ə-ˈnā-shən
, ˌāl-yə-\
, ˌāl-yə-\
Definition of alienation
1
: a withdrawing or separation of a person or a person's affections from an object or position of former attachment : estrangement
alienation … from the values of one's society and family— S. L. Halleck
2
: a conveyance of property to another
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Synonyms & Antonyms for alienation
Synonyms
disaffection, disgruntlement, estrangement, souring
Antonyms
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Examples of alienation in a Sentence
after years of alienation from her family, she became reconciled with them when her father fell ill
Recent Examples on the Web
De Niro and director Martin Scorsese's collaborative genius produced a disturbing look at alienation, violence and misplaced hero worship. — Brian Lowry, CNN, "Essential movies of the 1970s from 'Jaws' to 'Being There'," 25 July 2019 All of this will contribute to extreme feelings of alienation. — Anatoly Zak, Popular Mechanics, "6 Challenges We Need To Conquer on Our Way to Mars," 22 July 2019 His comment reflects a subtle yet profound form of alienation. — Abigail Deutsch, Harper's magazine, "Bette on the Blues," 22 July 2019 Social fragmentation, alienation, and loneliness are the rule, not the exception. — Mary Spencer, National Review, "What Joan Didion Saw," 29 June 2019 It is animated by a deep faith that when engineering replaces politics, the alienation of mass society and the threat of totalitarianism will melt away. — Fred Turner, Harper's magazine, "Machine Politics," 10 Jan. 2019 Their alienation is not strictly a matter of racial difference. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Review: ‘Last Black Man in San Francisco’ a gorgeous, moving ode to a city in flux," 20 June 2019 Their alienation is not strictly a matter of racial difference. — Justin Chang, Twin Cities, "‘The Last Black Man in San Francisco’ is a gorgeous, moving ode to a city in flux," 13 June 2019 Her sister, Jack (Madison Davenport), adorned with a sneer and a nose ring, exhibits her teen alienation by thrashing on a guitar, in the way of the Pixies and Sonic Youth, bands favored by the girls’ late mother. — Troy Patterson, The New Yorker, "The Best Episode of the New “Black Mirror” Is a Princess Tale Starring Miley Cyrus," 5 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'alienation.' 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 alienation
alienation
noun
alien·ation
| \ ˌā-lē-ə-ˈnā-shən, ˌāl-yə-
\
\
Medical Definition of alienation
: a withdrawing or separation of a person or a person's affections from an object or position of former attachment
alienation…from the values of one's society and family— S. L. Halleck
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