1
as in exclusion
treatment that is deliberately exclusionary
Teenagers may act against their better judgement to avoid social ostracism.
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2
as in exile
the forced removal from a homeland
His family celebrated his safe return after nearly a decade of political ostracism.
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Recent Examples of ostracism
The family struggled with ostracism and loneliness.
—
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Dissenting opinion brings ostracism, loss of work and grants and friendships.
—Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
But this ostracism has also been felt more widely across Israeli society, including among the large numbers of Israelis who oppose the war.
—Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
In ancient humans and other primates, reputational damage can bar access to food and mates, incite physical confrontations and, in extreme cases, lead to potentially fatal ostracism.
—Clarissa Brincat, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostracism
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Dissenting opinion brings ostracism, loss of work and grants and friendships.
—Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
But this ostracism has also been felt more widely across Israeli society, including among the large numbers of Israelis who oppose the war.
—Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
In ancient humans and other primates, reputational damage can bar access to food and mates, incite physical confrontations and, in extreme cases, lead to potentially fatal ostracism.
—Clarissa Brincat, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostracism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostracism
Noun
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An 800-foot exclusion zone around the property will also be enforced.—
Nikiya Carrero,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The amendment, however, would not ban the sale of the products in grocery stores in those areas, an exclusion which opponents see as arbitrary and patently unfair.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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With potential political upheaval on the horizon, Cuban exiles in Miami have begun positioning themselves for power, but their own internecine disputes bode poorly for any political transition, El País reported.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
6 Apr. 2026
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Beckham’s money-men partners are Miami brothers Jorge and Jose Mas, billionaire businessmen, leaders of the construction giant MasTec, and sons of a Cuban exile leader.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The same cohort that seems to be absorbing the most displacement is also the cohort most likely to be using AI agents, building side projects with LLMs, and entering the workforce with AI literacy that their 45-year-old managers lack.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
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My fascination with the difference between being a mentor and a father was, to a certain degree, my displacement of this question about responsibility to kids and responsibility to art.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In recent years, some of the settlers on those outposts have forced the expulsion and displacement of Palestinian communities following settler violence and harassment.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
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The student involved was later arrested and expulsion was recommended.—
Camryn Dadey,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But how Andrew’s de facto banishment would affect his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, wasn’t known.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
31 Mar. 2026
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Both view the Lebanese government as still completely incapable of disarming Hezbollah, though both were shocked at the new assertiveness of Beirut as seen by Tuesday’s banishment of Iran’s ambassador.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ostracism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostracism. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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