noun
alienation
ay-lee-uh-NAY-shun/ˌeɪliəˈneɪʃn/
A state of disconnection from others or oneself.
Sitting apart from the sociable group, the adult feels a sense of alienation.
Etymology
Alienare could mean making something another person's property, but also estranging someone. Alienation names that separation as an emotional condition: feeling cut off from other people.
In context
what markx called the alienation of the thing the song's protagonist preoccupied with material possessions to the point that he becomes estranged from himself and others
More examples
- The novel explores alienation in a vast, crowded city.
- Their prolonged silence deepened the alienation between the brothers.
- Creative work helped him confront his feelings of alienation.
Forms
alienate verb — To make someone feel disconnected or estranged.
Similar words
- estrangement
- Often describes separation after a formerly close relationship.
- isolation
- Can be physical without involving emotional disconnection.