alien 1 of 3

alien

2 of 3

verb

alien

3 of 3

noun

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
Out of nowhere comes an alien blaze and brilliance. Joseph O’Neill, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2025 But once the sun goes down, even familiar territory can become alien. Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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
Noun
Anaxagoras wouldn’t have viewed aliens as otherworldly beings that weren’t like humans. Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 27 Feb. 2025 This common-sense measure was proudly signed by President Trump and requires that these criminal aliens be detained to protect the American public. Matt Robison, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for alien
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alien
Adjective
  • Dictators always wind up needing enemies to justify why nothing has improved under their eternal rule, and once the domestic opposition is eliminated, foreign adventures are inevitable.
    Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2025
  • To help powerful foreign technology companies make profits.
    Elizabeth Stanton, Fox News, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The rationale is straightforward: like early-stage startups in the dot-com era, some of these assets may eventually prove valuable, whereas many others will likely become irrelevant.
    Christian Catalini, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
  • What’s practical for one person may be irrelevant for another.
    Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The brand also angered left-leaning customers because of its conciliatory response to right-wing attacks.
    Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025
  • The meeting angered Democrats, who were horrified by Trump and Vice President Vance's conduct.
    Andrew Solender, Axios, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Before transferring to join Clemson’s inaugural gymnastics program, Clark was also a star at Utah State University.
    Caroline Price, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
  • Bond spent two seasons with Alabama before transferring to Texas for the 2024 season.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 1 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The idea that students will find jobs from quick meetings with strangers is based on a series of shaky assumptions.
    Jessi Streib, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
  • In fact, some independent movie houses are enjoying a bit of resurgence as people discover and rediscover the joy of watching a film in a dark room with strangers.
    Mackenzie Farkus, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Maintain regular backups of your critical data on external drives or secure cloud services.
    Alex Vakulov, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Officials confirmed that no external trauma was seen on either Hackman or Arakawa, and New Mexico authorities promptly launched a criminal investigation into their deaths.
    Tracy Wright, Fox News, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The partisan crowd were right behind Afghanistan, who have enjoyed plenty of support with Pakistan out of the tournament in interesting dynamics given relations have soured dramatically between the neighbors since the Taliban grabbed power.
    Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
  • That’s raising questions on what America’s souring economic mood means for spending, hiring and the future of the world’s largest economy.
    Bryan Mena, CNN, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Concurrently, Sweeney is not interested in ceding draft capital for short-term assistance.
    Fluto Shinzawa, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025
  • When Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson ceded all creative control of James Bond to Amazon MGM Studios, eras ended.
    Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 21 Feb. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Alien.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alien. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on alien

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!