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 divide between the sexes seems to be widening, with many individuals reluctant to find themselves in the gray area in between, where ambiguity could lead to criticism or social ostracism.
—
Jerry Colonna, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
The resulting one-sided discourse means that views that don’t align with official propaganda often draw harassment and ostracism.
—Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
Yet men scarcely use them (often for fear of ostracism) while women do—resulting in their careers being disrupted while men maintain traction to advance faster and further.
—Susan Rietano Davey, Hartford Courant, 30 May 2025
And dozens of people—including some bona-fide Communist Party members—accepted jail time and professional ostracism rather than name names.
—Beverly Gage, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostracism
Jerry Colonna, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
The resulting one-sided discourse means that views that don’t align with official propaganda often draw harassment and ostracism.
—Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
Yet men scarcely use them (often for fear of ostracism) while women do—resulting in their careers being disrupted while men maintain traction to advance faster and further.
—Susan Rietano Davey, Hartford Courant, 30 May 2025
And dozens of people—including some bona-fide Communist Party members—accepted jail time and professional ostracism rather than name names.
—Beverly Gage, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostracism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostracism
Noun
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The cruel irony is that the very systems designed to promote inclusion can inadvertently reinforce exclusion.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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For millions of riders with disabilities, Uber's policies can mean the difference between mobility and exclusion.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Shortly after returning from his exile in Tunisia, Arafat launched a campaign of terrorism against Israel and his own people.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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Forged by a history of exile and persecution, Jewish Americans have consistently championed dignity and equality.—
Andrew Weinstein,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The plaintiffs argued the displacement was motivated by a desire to limit readers' access to books with viewpoints that are unpopular and controversial in the area.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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Even Bill Gates, who has been generally optimistic on AI and encouraged Gen Z workers to experiment with it, said being experienced with AI may not prevent job displacement.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The 1876 expulsion and fire are part of the historical record.—
Beth Lew-Williams,
New Yorker,
13 Sep. 2025
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Directed by Hayes from his own script, Pools casts rising star Odessa A’zion as Kennedy, a rebellious college student who has one day to get her life together or face expulsion.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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It’s spoken by Jaques, a cranky courtier from the entourage of Duke Senior, living in banishment in the Forest of Arden.—
Matthew Gurewitsch,
Air Mail,
16 Aug. 2025
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Much has changed at Wolves since his effective banishment.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ostracism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostracism. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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