Disaffect

To cause someone to lose their loyalty or fondness for a person, group, or idea. This process often involves a sense of disillusionment or dissatisfaction, leading to estrangement and a weakened sense of belonging. Disaffection can arise from various factors, including perceived injustice, unmet expectations, broken promises, or changes in values. The result is a diminished emotional connection and potential for conflict or opposition. It implies a turning away from something previously held in esteem and a potential shift in allegiance. The action of disaffecting often has long-term consequences on relationships and social structures.

Disaffect meaning with examples

• The company's new policies, perceived as unfair to lower-level employees, began to disaffect a large segment of the workforce, leading to decreased morale and productivity. Many now felt no strong desire to go the extra mile for the company. Many workers were planning to leave.
• The king's harsh rule and heavy taxation began to disaffect the peasantry, ultimately fueling a rebellion that toppled his reign. They lost faith in him and their anger and loss of hope gave momentum to the rebels, who won and the king was removed from power.
• The politician's broken campaign promises significantly **disaffected** his core voter base, who felt betrayed and increasingly alienated. Their loyalty was lost and they began to view him with open mistrust.
• Exposure to propaganda aimed at undermining the government could disaffect the population, promoting distrust and discontent. The hope was to reduce support and loyalty, by fueling feelings of betrayal and anger, which was successful.
• The constant stream of negative news and scandals began to disaffect citizens' trust in the media, leading to an increase in the sharing of misinformation and conspiracy theories. Their ability to trust and believe was damaged.