alienation
feeling socially disconnected
a feeling that you do not belong or are not connected to other people or society
alienation from [someone/something]; a sense/feeling of alienation
- Many remote workers report a growing sense of alienation from their colleagues.
- The novel captures the alienation of young people in a fast-changing city.
- Moving abroad can bring freedom, but also periods of cultural alienation.
- She felt a sense of alienation at her new school.
- The club helped him overcome his alienation.
loss of support or goodwill
the loss of people's support, trust, or friendly feelings
alienation of [voters/customers/employees]; alienation from [a party/brand/institution]
- The party's harsh rhetoric contributed to the alienation of moderate voters.
- Raising prices without explanation can create customer alienation.
- Years of layoffs intensified workers' alienation from management.
- The new rules caused alienation among staff.
- The company tried to avoid customer alienation.
worker estrangement from labor
in social theory, the condition of being cut off from meaningful work, control, or human connection
alienation of [labor/workers]; alienation under [capitalism]
- The seminar discussed Marx's theory of alienation in industrial labor.
- The essay argues that gig work can produce new forms of worker alienation.
- Some critics read the film as a portrait of alienation in consumer society.
- The class studied Marx's idea of alienation.
- The article discusses alienation at work.
legal transfer of property
the legal transfer of property or rights to another person
alienation of [land/property/assets/rights]
- The lease requires the landlord's consent for any alienation of the tenant's interest.
- The trust document restricts alienation of the land until the beneficiary turns thirty.
- In property law, alienation may occur by sale, gift, or will.
- The contract restricts alienation of the property.
- Base: alienation
- Plural: alienation, alienations
alienation clause
1mortgage due-on-sale clause
a loan rule saying the lender can demand payment if the property is transferred
- The mortgage included an alienation clause triggered by a sale of the house.
- Before transferring the property, they checked whether the loan had an alienation clause.
- An alienation clause is also commonly called a due-on-sale clause.
alienation effect
1critical distance in theater
a theater technique that makes the audience think critically instead of simply feeling involved in the story
- The director used songs and visible lighting changes to create an alienation effect.
- In Brecht's plays, the alienation effect encourages spectators to think rather than simply identify with characters.
- Breaking the fourth wall can produce an alienation effect.
alienation of affections
1marriage-affection legal claim
a lawsuit claiming that someone wrongly damaged a marriage by causing one spouse to stop loving the other
- He sued his wife's former partner for alienation of affections, a claim still recognized in that state.
- Most jurisdictions have abolished alienation of affections lawsuits.
- The complaint included emotional distress and alienation of affections claims.
parental alienation
1child turned against parent
when a child is pressured to turn against one parent, often during a separation or custody case
- During the custody hearing, she denied the accusation of parental alienation.
- The evaluator considered whether the child's refusal to visit was due to parental alienation or to his own experiences.
- Claims of parental alienation can be highly contested.
restraint on alienation
1restriction on property transfer
a rule that limits the owner's ability to transfer property to someone else
- The court held that the covenant was an unreasonable restraint on alienation.
- The will created a temporary restraint on alienation of the family farm.
- Property lawyers often examine whether a clause is an invalid restraint on alienation.