Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » alienate

alienate

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

The definition of alienate is when a person turns those who once cared into people who no longer care, either by making others feel angry and/or by causing them to ignore a person.

(verb)

An example of alienate is when a family member has been abusing drugs, and their behavior has caused the rest of the family to no longer be able to tolerate having them around.
An example of alienate is when someone tells all your friends that you lied to them and your friends no longer speak to you.

See alienate in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb alienated, alienating

to transfer the ownership of (property) to another
to make unfriendly; estrange: his behavior alienated his friends
to cause to be withdrawn or detached, as from one's society
to cause a transference of (affection)

Origin: < L alienatus, pp. of alienare < alius, other: see else

Related Forms:

alienator noun

See alienate in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb al·ien·at·ed, al·ien·at·ing, al·ien·ates

To cause to become unfriendly or hostile; estrange: alienate a friend; alienate potential supporters by taking extreme positions. See Synonyms at estrange.
To cause to become withdrawn or unresponsive; isolate or dissociate emotionally: The numbing labor tended to alienate workers.
To cause to be transferred; turn away: “He succeeded . . . in alienating the affections of my only ward” (Oscar Wilde).
Law To transfer (property or a right) to the ownership of another, especially by an act of the owner rather than by inheritance.

Origin:

Origin: Latin aliēnāre, aliēnāt-

Origin: , from Latin aliēnus, alien; see alien

Related Forms: