alienate

/ˈeɪliəneɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈeɪliəneɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈā-lē-ə-ˌnāt ˈāl-yə-/ (ame, mw)

alienate — verb

1. to make people who once liked, trusted, or agreed with you pull away and stop be

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

to make people who once liked, trusted, or agreed with you pull away and stop being on your side.

例句

The mayor's rude reply alienated many local parents before the school meeting.

alienate + group affected by behaviour

By cutting the bus service, the council alienated older voters in the town.

alienate + voters after a public decision

同義詞
  • estrange

    stronger for personal relationships, especially family or close friends

  • put off

    more informal and often less lasting

  • disaffect

    formal; common when a group loses political or social loyalty

反義詞
  • win over

    to gain someone's support or approval

  • unite

    to bring people onto the same side

文法句型

alienate + noun (voters, readers, customers)

alienate + noun + by + behaviour or policy

用法筆記

Object is usually a group whose support matters, such as voters, readers, workers, or fans. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is about losing goodwill or loyalty, not about making someone feel outside a group.

常見錯誤

❌The speech alienated against young voters.
✅The speech alienated young voters.
💡'alienate' takes the affected people as its direct object.

2. to leave someone feeling cut off from the people around them, as if they have no

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to leave someone feeling cut off from the people around them, as if they have no real place in the group.

例句

Constant teasing alienated Hana from the other girls in her class.

alienate + someone from + group

At lunch, jokes about ski holidays alienated Ben from his new team.

alienate + person in a social setting

同義詞
  • isolate

    can be physical as well as emotional; less focused on group belonging

  • exclude

    stresses actively keeping someone out

  • marginalize

    more formal; often used for social or political exclusion

反義詞
  • include

    to make someone part of the group

  • welcome

    to make someone feel accepted and comfortable

文法句型

alienate + noun + from + group or place

alienate + noun + during + social situation

用法筆記

Often followed by 'from' plus a group, place, or family. The result is a feeling of not belonging; in sense 1, the main idea is that support or warmth is lost.

常見錯誤

❌The accent alienated her with the rest of the class.
✅The accent alienated her from the rest of the class.
💡use 'from' for the group someone feels separated from.