disaffected

1 of 2

adjective

dis·​af·​fect·​ed ˌdis-ə-ˈfek-təd How to pronounce disaffected (audio)
Synonyms of disaffectednext
: discontented and resentful especially against authority : rebellious
disaffected youth

disaffected

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of disaffect

Examples of disaffected in a Sentence

Adjective The troops had become disaffected. Both political parties are looking for ways to regain the trust of disaffected voters.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Each presents a group portrait of a handful of disaffected British suburbanites—husbands who resent their deadening jobs, toddlers who whine and interrupt, and, above all, hassled wives subsumed by a crush of household obligations. — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026 Ellis was the enfant terrible of the ’80s and ’90s literary scene, earning a following with novels about disaffected teens and 20-somethings mixed up in drugs, ennui, and gang rapes. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026 But Democrats believe that Kamala Harris’ eventual loss in Michigan stemmed in part from their lingering splits over Gaza, leading disaffected voters to stay home despite the urging of many progressives who had previously backed the protest. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 30 July 2026 Jack Nicholson stars as a disaffected journalist who assumes the identity of a dead man in an attempt to start over, only to find that his new life is even more complicated than his own. — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for disaffected

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1602, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of disaffected was in 1602

Rhymes for disaffected

See All Rhymes for disaffected

Browse Nearby Words

disaffect
disaffected
disaffection
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Cite this Entry

“Disaffected.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disaffected. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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