Translation guide
The English verb 'estrange' means to cause someone to become distant or alienated from another person, group, or situation. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through various verbs and phrases that describe emotional distance, alienation, or the breaking of relationships. The most common and natural expressions depend on the context: whether it's between people, from a group, or a more formal/legal separation.
To make two people (or a person and a group) feel less close, friendly, or affectionate towards each other.
This is the most direct and common way to express 'estrange' in the sense of causing a relationship to become distant. It literally means 'to make distant/estranged'. It can be used for friendships, family relationships, etc.
彼の態度が二人の関係を疎遠にした。
His attitude estranged the two of them.
Busyness can sometimes estrange friends.
This is the intransitive version, meaning 'to become estranged'. It's often used to describe the state resulting from estrangement. While 'estrange' is transitive, this phrase is very common when describing the effect.
昔の友達とは疎遠になってしまった。
I've become estranged from my old friends.
Literally 'to tear apart the relationship'. This is a stronger, more emotional expression implying a deliberate or forceful action that drives people apart.
噂が二人の仲を裂いた。
The rumor estranged the two of them.
A formal, somewhat literary term meaning to alienate or drive a wedge between people. Often used in political or strategic contexts.
彼は二人の同盟国を離間させようとした。
He tried to estrange the two allied nations.
To make someone feel isolated, unwelcome, or disconnected from a larger group, community, or environment.
Means 'to isolate' or 'to alienate'. It focuses on making someone feel alone or cut off from others. It's a common and natural way to express estrangement from a group.
彼の意見が彼をチームから孤立させた。
His opinion estranged him from the team.
その政策は若者を社会から孤立させる可能性がある。
That policy could estrange young people from society.
A more formal term for 'alienate' or 'estrange', often used in sociological or psychological contexts. It implies a sense of being made an outsider.
彼は職場で疎外されていると感じている。
He feels estranged at work.
Literally 'to make someone a floating existence', meaning to make them stand out as different and not fit in, leading to estrangement from the group.
彼の変わった趣味が彼をクラスで浮いた存在にした。
His unusual hobby estranged him from the class.
To formally or permanently sever a relationship, often used in legal or serious family contexts.
This means 'to sever relations' or 'to disown'. It is a strong, often irreversible action, commonly used for family estrangement or cutting ties completely.
彼は父親と絶縁した。
He estranged himself from his father.
その事件が家族を絶縁させた。
The incident estranged the family.
Specifically means 'to disown' or 'to cut off (a child)'. It's a traditional term used when a parent formally severs ties with their child.
彼は息子を勘当した。
He estranged his son (disowned him).
疎遠にする is used for making a relationship between two parties distant, while 孤立させる focuses on making one person isolated from a group. Use 疎遠にする for personal relationships and 孤立させる for group dynamics.
There is no single Japanese verb that covers all uses of 'estrange'. Translating it as エストレンジする is not natural. Choose the appropriate expression based on the context.