The phrase "estranged friends" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe friends who have become distant or disconnected from each other over time.
Example: "After years of not speaking, they finally decided to reach out to their estranged friends and mend their relationships."
Alternatives: "distant friends" or "alienated friends".
Whatever his successes, Mr. Bouley has left in the trail of his career a line of creditors, furious former employees and estranged friends.
SOUL MEN The late Bernie Mac stars with Samuel L. Jackson as bitterly estranged friends who once worked together as backup singers to a famous soul singer (John Legend).
Artisan Entertainment, which bought "The Blair Witch Project" at last year's festival, this year bought all worldwide and television rights to Miguel Arteta's "Chuck and Buck," a comedy about estranged friends, for about $1 million.
He's planning a reunion with his estranged friends in Massive Attack.
Based on a short story by the Yiddish writer Chaim Grade, this drama portrays a meeting of estranged friends, one an Orthodox rabbi and the other a secular writer.
I am concerned that "Official Defends Signing Interrogation Memos" (news article, April 29) may have created the mistaken impression among some people that I am one of the "estranged" friends of Judge Jay S. Bybee.
James attempts to reconnect with his mother Paige Kerry Foxx) and old acquaintances including estranged friend Anthony Tom Greenn).
It was an olive branch to his by-then estranged friend and a plea for him to return to the yellow house, where they had once depicted this middle-aged proprietress of a local cafe.
When the scoreboard clock finally showed zeros, Patriots Coach Bill Belichick walked slowly across the torn-up field to meet Eric Mangini, his protégé and estranged friend, amid a swarm of players and photographers.
Some people have called for his impeachment, he is being investigated by the Justice Department on his professional standards, and he has even become estranged from friends.
Estranged from friends and family and nicknamed "The Lone Pine of Michigan", he officially died of "senility" at age 87.
