ə̇ˈstrānj, eˈ- transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle French estranger, from Old French estrangier, from Medieval Latin extraneare, from Latin extraneus foreign, strange — more at strange
1. : to remove or keep at a distance especially from customary environment or associations
his constant need to travel served to estrange him from most family activities
2. : to divert in affection or personal attachment : destroy one's confidence in : arouse enmity or indifference in where there had been originally love, affection, or friendliness
the difference in religion brought on clashes between the two and ultimately estranged them
the father's need to dominate quickly estranged all but one of the children
poverty and misery had estranged him from his background — E.H.Erikson
3. : to make alien or a stranger in condition, character, or appearance — now used with from
writers who somehow felt estranged from their native life when the thread had once been broken — Van Wyck Brooks
if a young man is not as anxious to work as he might be, let us remember that laws like that have helped estrange him from habits of industry — Elijah Adlow
Synonyms:
alienate , disaffect , wean : estrange may suggest development of hostility, separation, or divorcement
the estranging film of defensive reticence which separates nearly all of us from our friends — C.E.Montague
alienate may not suggest separation but does indicate a changing of affection, sympathy, and interest to coldness, aloofness, or antipathy
the governor and judges, who had alienated the people by arrogating to themselves the judicial, legislative, and executive powers of government — American Guide Series: Michigan
the colossal impudence of his comment on his former and now alienated associate — E.V.Lucas
disaffect indicates causing loss of warm and ready loyalty and inducing unrest and discontent
the disloyalists tried to disaffect the militia, preaching treason — C.G.Bowers
wean indicates separating commendably from someone or something that another is weakly dependent on or immaturely preoccupied with
wean your minds from hankering after false Germanic standards — A.T.Quiller-Couch
definitely weaned from close emotional dependency on his parents — John Dollard