Alienate
/ˈeɪliəˌneɪt/
verbB2
Definition
Alienate means to cause someone to feel alone, different, or not included in a group or relationship. It often happens when actions or words make others feel unwanted or pushed away. This can happen in friendships, families, or work.
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See It in Action
To cause someone to feel isolated or separated from others
- •His harsh words alienated his friends.
- •The new rules alienated many employees.
- •She felt alienated after moving to a new city.
To make someone feel different or not part of a group or society
- •The policy alienated certain communities.
- •His behavior alienated him from his family.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'alienate' like 'push away,' but for feelings or relationships, not just physical distance
- ✓Picture a person standing alone while others are together, feeling left out or different
- ✓It's the feeling when a friend stops talking to you because of something you said or did
- ✓Sounds like 'alien' + 'ate' → imagine an alien eating the connection between people, making them strangers
- ✓Think of stories where a character becomes an outsider because others do not accept them
- ✓NOT like 'ignore' (which means not paying attention), alienate means making someone feel they do not belong at all
- ✓NOT like 'argue' (disagreeing), alienate means causing a bigger distance, often breaking trust or friendship
- ✓NOT like 'exclude' (which is active leaving out), alienate can be the result of actions that make someone feel excluded or different
Try Other Words
- •Isolate: to make someone alone or separate (Use when the focus is on physical or emotional loneliness)
- •Exclude: to leave someone out of a group (Use when someone is actively not allowed to join)
- •Distance: to make a gap between people emotionally or physically (Use when the separation is less strong or intentional)
- •Estrange: to cause someone to no longer be close or friendly (Use in formal or emotional contexts for strong separation)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: 'a-' (to, towards) + 'lien' (from Latin 'alienus,' meaning 'belonging to another') + '-ate' (verb suffix)
- •Etymology: From Latin 'alienare,' meaning to make something belong to another or to estrange
- •Historical development: Originally meant to transfer ownership or rights, later extended to mean causing social or emotional separation
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe causing someone to feel alone or not part of a group, especially in social or personal contexts
Reflect & Connect
•Have you ever felt alienated in a group? What caused that feeling?
•How can small actions or words unintentionally alienate others around you?
Fill in the blanks
1.When a leader makes unfair decisions, they can alienate ___ members of their team, causing ___.
2.Saying hurtful things often alienates friends because it breaks ___ and trust.
3.Alienate is different from exclude because exclude means ___ someone on purpose, while alienate means ___ someone feels separated.
4.Sometimes people alienate themselves by ___ from others, not just because of what others do.
5.Policies that alienate communities often cause ___ and reduce ___.
6.If you want to avoid alienating others, you should ___ how your words affect their feelings.
7.Feeling alienated can make someone ___ and less likely to ___ in group activities.