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disaffection

disaffection

4 7.8
A feeling of not being loyal or supportive toward people in power
  • noun
  • /ˌdɪsəˈfɛkʃən/
  • Formal
translation icon : desafección
  • Many citizens expressed their disaffection with the government's policies during the protest.
  • widespread disaffection
  • disaffection with government
  • public disaffection

Examples

  • Similar signs of disaffection from the polity are found among African American youth.

    Academic text (1995)
  • There was broad disaffection toward the older "faiths" among the population at large.

    Blog text (28)
  • There was sufficient disaffection among the officer group that Rodriguez felt he could claim their support.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Second, the British in South Africa did not want to exacerbate existing disaffection among their African subjects.

    Academic text (2006)
  • The Vietnam War contributed to our disaffection with the conventions of academia.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Diminishing opportunities for satisfactory employment often cause growing disaffection among the young.

    Academic text (2012)
  • The FLN leadership misjudged the disaffection the majority felt toward the regime.

    Academic text (1993)
  • As in Vietnam, a turning point always seemed imminent, and Washington refused to grasp the depth of popular disaffection.

    Academic text (2004)
  • When people feel that their socioeconomic positions do not correspond to their efforts, their disaffection mounts.

    Academic text (2005)
  • Comments on difficult educational beginnings and negative previous educational experiences are significant in understanding the AHE students' disaffection from formal learning.

    Academic text (2015)

Synonyms

discontent
vsdisaffection
49 5.1

A feeling of not being satisfied with the present situation

often leads to alienation and loss of loyalty toward authority
alienation
vsdisaffection
30 7.4

Feeling of being alone and separate from other people

adds active dissatisfaction that often removes loyalty to authority
disillusionment
vsdisaffection
16 6.5

A feeling of disappointment when something is not as good as you hoped

can produce distrust and withdrawal of loyalty from leaders
dissension
vsdisaffection
16 7.5

A disagreement and arguing between people who must work together

is mainly an internal conflict, not just a feeling of lost loyalty
disloyalty
vsdisaffection
13 4.1

Not supporting a person, group, or cause who trusts you

is the outcome of dissatisfaction and alienation that withdraws support
estrangement
vsdisaffection
8 7.8

A feeling of no longer being close to someone

focuses more on dissatisfaction that cuts loyalty to authority
disenchantment
vsdisaffection
6 7.7

A feeling of disappointment you have after you learn something is not as good as you thought

often leads further to alienation and loss of support for authority
disillusion
vsdisaffection
4 7.0

A feeling of disappointment when you learn that something you believed is not true

may result in alienation and reduced support for authority
dissidence
vsdisaffection
1 8.2

A disagreement with a government or its rules

comes from private dissatisfaction that erodes loyalty rather than active protest
discontentment
vsdisaffection
1 6.2

A feeling of unhappiness about a situation and wanting something better

tends to produce alienation and reduced loyalty to leaders
disgruntlement
vsdisaffection
1 7.0

A feeling of being unhappy and annoyed about something

can lead to alienation and withdrawal of support from authority
growing discontent
vsdisaffection
1 4.3

More and more people in a group or place feel unhappy about something

is similar but specifically causes loss of loyalty toward authority
discordancy
vsdisaffection
1 8.2

A situation where people or things do not agree

is broader and lacks the political loss of loyalty aspect
discontentedness
vsdisaffection
7.4

A feeling of being unhappy with a situation and wanting change

often causes distance and lack of support for those in power

Antonyms

317 1.4

A gentle warm feeling for a person, animal, or thing

How Disaffected

hostility
147 4.7
alienation
30 7.4
disaffection
  • Formal
4 7.8

Surface Forms

disaffection singular
disaffections plural

Morphology

disaffection = affection (semi-transparent) = dis + affection

Formed from the negative prefix 'dis-' + 'affection'; although the negation of 'affection' gives a general sense of lack of fondness, the usual meaning 'alienation or lack of loyalty (especially toward authority)' is a more specialized shift that learners may not predict exactly.

Etymology

Disaffection starts with dis- meaning 'not' and the familiar word affection, which means 'liking' or a 'warm feeling'. So, disaffection is when people do not like or support someone any more and may stop being loyal.