What is the antonym of “familiarize”?
The antonyms of familiarize are alienate, estranged, and disaffect. These words describe a state of being disconnected or distant from something or someone.
Brief Definitions of the Antonym(s)
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
alienate
To cause someone to feel isolated or estranged from a group or activity.
Example
His rude behavior towards his colleagues started to alienate him from the team.
estranged
No longer close or affectionate with someone; separated.
Example
After their argument, they became estranged and stopped talking to each other.
disaffect
To cause someone to lose enthusiasm or loyalty for something.
Example
The company's poor management practices started to disaffect its employees.
How are these antonyms different from each other?
- 1Alienate implies a deliberate action that causes someone to feel isolated or estranged.
- 2Estranged describes a state of being no longer close or affectionate with someone.
- 3Disaffect suggests a loss of enthusiasm or loyalty for something.
Good things to know
- 1Relationships: Use alienate and estranged to describe a breakdown in relationships.
- 2Politics: Use disaffect to describe a loss of support or loyalty for a political party or leader.
- 3Business: Use alienate and disaffect to describe negative effects on employee morale or customer loyalty.
Remember this!
The antonyms of familiarize describe a state of being disconnected or distant from something or someone. Alienate implies a deliberate action, estranged describes a state of being no longer close, and disaffect suggests a loss of enthusiasm or loyalty. Use these words to describe relationship breakdowns, political shifts, and business impacts.
