alien 1 of 3

adjective

ˈā-lē-ən How to pronounce alien (audio)
Definition of aliennext
1
as in foreign
being, relating to, or characteristic of a country other than one's own they were careful to learn of any alien business customs before trying to expand overseas

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in irrelevant
not being a vital part of or belonging to something it's completely alien to her nature to wish evil of anyone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

alien

2 of 3

verb

1
as in to anger
to cause to change from friendly or loving to unfriendly or uncaring such angry outbursts will rapidly alien any friends you might possibly have left

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to transfer
to give over the legal possession or ownership of the couple plans to alien the adjoining house lot to their eldest son

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

alien

3 of 3

noun

as in stranger

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word alien different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of alien are extraneous, extrinsic, and foreign. While all these words mean "external to a thing, its essential nature, or its original character," alien is stronger than foreign in suggesting opposition, repugnance, or irreconcilability.

a practice totally alien to her nature

In what contexts can extraneous take the place of alien?

The synonyms extraneous and alien are sometimes interchangeable, but extraneous applies to what is on or comes from the outside and may or may not be capable of becoming an essential part.

arguments extraneous to the issue

When is it sensible to use extrinsic instead of alien?

While in some cases nearly identical to alien, extrinsic applies to what is distinctly outside the thing in question or is not contained in or derived from its essential nature.

sentimental value that is extrinsic to the house's market value

When could foreign be used to replace alien?

The words foreign and alien are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, foreign applies to what is so different as to be rejected or repelled or to be incapable of becoming assimilated.

techniques foreign to French cuisine

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of alien
Adjective
The unprecedented funding for ICE will enable my hard-working officers and agents to continue making America safe again by identifying, arresting and removing criminal aliens from our communities. —Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025 Superman 2025 is the latest in a long line of media depictions of the dashing visitor from another planet who fights bad guys (Earthlings and aliens), rescues people in distress, inspires hope and seeks justice. —Rusty Wright, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2025
Verb
Feldman was intrigued by the prospect of making extraterrestrial contact via information: specifically, alien instructions on how to build an instrument that could talk to terrestrial humans. —ArsTechnica, 13 July 2025 Besides evil billionaires, Superman has taken on superpowered supervillains, alien invaders and even his clones, as well as human threats like Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan. —Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
Noun
But even that description fails to capture what Yagi is after: those parts of us, precious and possibly hostile, which flower in darkness, disintegrate when described, and can be compared only to alien life-forms. —Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2022 Neanderthal to alien, and yet strangely well-suited for the modern era. —Nick Remsen, CNN, 30 Sep. 2021 See All Example Sentences for alien
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alien
  1. foreign
  2. irrelevant
  3. anger
  4. transfer
  5. stranger
  6. external
  7. sour
  8. cede
Adjective
  • In July, Trump signed an executive order increasing fees for foreign tourists visiting U.S. national parks, many of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
    — Nik Popli, Time, 22 July 2025
  • The court said the state was likely to succeed on the merits of the case, saying the state’s law was narrowly tailored to serve the government’s compelling interest in preventing foreign influence on elections.
    — BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today, 22 July 2025
Definition of foreign
Adjective
  • The rise of e-commerce, particularly Amazon, led to widespread belief that traditional big-box retailers would become irrelevant dinosaurs.
    — Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • The judge ruled that evolution’s validity was irrelevant.
    — Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2025
Definition of irrelevant
Verb
  • The group invited those angered by rollbacks on things such as voting rights, essential services and free speech to join them July 17, the fifth anniversary of Lewis’ death.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 17 July 2025
  • The story, though, didn't die down and Trump only appeared to grow more angered by the pushback from his supporters.
    — Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 16 July 2025
Definition of anger
Verb
  • Griner was transferred to a Russian penal colony roughly 300 miles outside of Moscow after being sentenced to nine years in prison.
    — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 23 July 2025
  • More than 1,800 files were transferred after Gong had already accepted a position with one of the company's competitors.
    — Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
Definition of transfer
Noun
  • The viral video, with just under a half a million views, led commenters to share their own experiences of comforting strangers.
    — Colson Thayer, People.com, 22 July 2025
  • On Sunday, Lovett Moore’s family and friends, volunteers, strangers and clergy from as far away as the Bay Area began their search once again, gathering near the Arena Boulevard gas station where the legally blind and disabled Natomas man was last seen.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 21 July 2025
Definition of stranger
Adjective
  • Another psychological factor playing into mental health challenges after winning is the external pressure and expectation to continue winning.
    — Brook Choulet, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • Investors have speculated about who will lead the company after Cornell — and what that internal or external pick may mean for the company's future.
    — Melissa Repko, CNBC, 15 July 2025
Definition of external
Verb
  • July 15, 2025 This multi-state strike stems from souring contract negotiations between the greater Boston Teamsters Local 25 and Republic Services.
    — Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025
  • But Republicans’ perception of Musk also soured while his tenure as Trump’s chief cost-cutter ended in flames.
    — Derek Saul, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
Definition of sour
Verb
  • In court filings, Pryor anticipated, and attempted to quell, the timing problem by arguing he was required to cede control of his NIL in perpetuity.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 19 July 2025
  • Democrats have accused their Republican colleagues of ceding that power to the president with measures like the recent spending cuts, as well as a sweeping tax, spending and policy bill passed earlier in July at Trump's urging.
    — Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 19 July 2025
Definition of cede

Browse Nearby Words

Alice-in-Wonderland
alien
alienate
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Cite this Entry

“Alien.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alien. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on alien

Nglish: Translation of alien for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about alien

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