1
as in to infuriate
to cause to change from friendly or loving to unfriendly or uncaring
her changed position on the issue surprised and alienated many of her supporters
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to cede
to give over the legal possession or ownership of
landowners have a right to alienate their right of ownership—in other words, they can sell the land if they want to
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of alienate
By pandering to that fraction of voters, Kennedy risks alienating the much larger portion of Americans who might not agree with everything the CDC has done in recent years, but also don’t think that the agency’s vaccine program is comparable to a Nazi death camp, as Kennedy has claimed.
—
Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2025
The governor’s intervention threw the future of the special election proposal into doubt and risked alienating a key ally: Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the top House Democrat who had been aggressively lobbying the governor and state lawmakers to adopt it.
—Benjamin Oreskes, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2025
Kelly also said that Swift alienated half the country by getting political and by endorsing Trump’s opponent, Kamala Harris.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2025
Instead of fostering stability, his words risk undoing years of diplomatic progress and alienating key U.S. allies in the region.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for alienate
Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2025
The governor’s intervention threw the future of the special election proposal into doubt and risked alienating a key ally: Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the top House Democrat who had been aggressively lobbying the governor and state lawmakers to adopt it.
—Benjamin Oreskes, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2025
Kelly also said that Swift alienated half the country by getting political and by endorsing Trump’s opponent, Kamala Harris.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2025
Instead of fostering stability, his words risk undoing years of diplomatic progress and alienating key U.S. allies in the region.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for alienate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alienate
Verb
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On Saturday, Hamas filmed two hostages who were forced to watch the release of others, turning to a camera and begging to be released, in yet another public spectacle that infuriated Israel.—
Joseph Krauss,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2025
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And what answers can Howe belatedly unearth to arrest Newcastle’s infuriating inconsistency?—
Chris Waugh,
The Athletic,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Concurrently, Sweeney is not interested in ceding draft capital for short-term assistance.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
The Athletic,
23 Feb. 2025
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Top federal prosecutors left their positions rather than cede to the request.—
April Rubin,
Axios,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The brand also angered left-leaning customers because of its conciliatory response to right-wing attacks.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN,
28 Feb. 2025
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The meeting angered Democrats, who were horrified by Trump and Vice President Vance's conduct.—
Andrew Solender,
Axios,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Even the hardtop enclosure, with sliding-glass doors and an open area at the back, conveys a sense of airiness.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
22 Feb. 2025
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The prison was the perfect place to convey that [part of the] story.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Twenty-five years later, Hal (Theo James) is estranged from Bill and has his own son, named Petey, but only sees him once a year.—
Alissa Wilkinson,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2025
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The two are estranged in part because Errol, in his 70s, has fathered two children with his former stepdaughter, more than 40 years his junior.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In fact, the deal’s toughest opponents argued that America had traded them away too soon: The pressure was working so well that if the U.S. had just kept it up, the Iranian regime might have permanently relinquished its entire nuclear program or, better yet, collapsed.—
Edward Fishman,
The Atlantic,
24 Feb. 2025
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Craig, who made his Bond debut in 2006's Casino Royale, relinquished his license to kill and retired his 007 with No Time to Die.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, ordinary Americans will grow ever more enraged by the system’s ongoing failures, creating bountiful opportunities for someone who caters to their rage—someone like Donald Trump.—
Andrew Cockburn,
Harper's Magazine,
19 Feb. 2025
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Saudi Arabia, which as the region’s dominant diplomatic center, as well as spiritual home to the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims – many of whom are enraged by Israel’s actions – has perhaps the most skin in the game.—
Nic Robertson,
CNN,
5 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Parks & Rec is requesting two new employees — a biologist and a mapping analyst — to help prevent environmental damage and to track brush management work that has been assigned and completed.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Feb. 2025
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And firefighters not assigned to the additional engines would have been available for other tasks.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Alienate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alienate. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.
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