estrangement

/ɪˈstreɪndʒmənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪˈstreɪndʒmənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ə̇ˈstrānjmənt eˈ-/ (ame, mw)

estrangement — noun

  • estrangementsingular
  • estrangementsplural

1. a painful state in which people who once cared about each other grow distant and

1.名詞C2
釋義

a painful state in which people who once cared about each other grow distant and stop sharing normal contact or family life.

例句

Years of silence turned the brothers' fight into real estrangement.

estrangement as a damaged relationship after conflict

After the divorce, Camila lived with the pain of estrangement from her father.

pattern: estrangement from + family member

同義詞
  • alienation

    broader and more formal; can describe distance from society or work, not only a damaged close relationship

  • rift

    focuses more on the split or disagreement that opens between people

  • separation

    can be neutral and physical, without the same emotional hurt

反義詞

文法句型

estrangement from + person/family

estrangement between + people

years/period of estrangement

用法筆記

Usually followed by 'from' when one side is named and 'between' when both sides are given. Unlike sense 2, this sense describes a relationship that has actually broken down, not only an inner feeling of distance.

常見錯誤

❌Their estrangement with their daughter lasted years.
✅Their estrangement from their daughter lasted years.
💡Use 'from' for one side of the broken relationship, and 'between' when both sides are named.

2. a feeling that a person, place, group, or belief has become hard to understand o

2.名詞C2
釋義

a feeling that a person, place, group, or belief has become hard to understand or belong to, even though it used to feel familiar to you.

例句

Returning home, Linh felt estrangement from the neighborhood she once knew.

feel estrangement from + familiar place

After years abroad, Hassan felt estrangement from his first language.

loss of connection with something once familiar

同義詞
  • alienation

    the closest formal match, often used for social or psychological distance

  • disconnect

    more common and less formal; often used for a weaker loss of connection

  • distance

    milder and broader; can be chosen on purpose rather than deeply felt

反義詞
  • belonging

    the feeling of fitting naturally with a person, group, or place

  • connection

    a felt bond with people, places, or ideas

文法句型

estrangement from + place/group/belief

feel estrangement from + something familiar

sense of estrangement

用法筆記

This sense often follows 'from' and appears after verbs like 'feel' or 'describe'. Unlike sense 1, the distance may exist mainly inside one person even when no open quarrel or family break has happened.

常見錯誤

❌I felt estrangement because nobody was home tonight.
✅I felt lonely because nobody was home tonight.
💡Estrangement usually means feeling cut off from a person, place, or part of life that should feel familiar, not simply being alone for one evening.