estranged

1 of 2

adjective

es·​tranged i-ˈstrānjd How to pronounce estranged (audio)
Synonyms of estranged
: having lost former closeness and affection : in a state of alienation from a previous close or familial relationship
her estranged husband [=her husband with whom she no longer lives]
Social workers may try to resolve conflicts between estranged siblings.—Jonathan D. Rockoff
He had taken out a life insurance policy on his estranged wife just weeks before her murder …—David Fisher
… it's kind of shameful to admit your idea of unwinding in front of the TV is watching somebody's entire family get murdered by their greedy, estranged uncle.—Lauren Zupkus

estranged

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of estrange

Examples of estranged in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
But Lee’s investigation is complicated by the unexpected arrival of his estranged father, Lee Raybon Sr. — Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 This reboot, directed by Kitao Sakurai and starring Noah Centineo and Andrew Koji, takes place in 1993 as two estranged fighters are recruited to enter a tournament that forces them to face off against each other. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 Kate recently spoke out for the first time following her estranged son's book release. — Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026 Tommy Lee Jones plays Lee’s estranged father, who walks back into Lee’s life unexpectedly. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for estranged

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1538, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of estranged was in 1538

Phrases Containing estranged

Rhymes for estranged

See All Rhymes for estranged

Browse Nearby Words

estrange
estranged
estranged couple
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Estranged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/estranged. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on estranged

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for estranged

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of fervid

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All