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
-
Fainaru has issued a reply to the participating artists and curators demanding the country’s exclusion.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
7 May 2026
-
The woman, whom the government did not identify, had been issued with a temporary exclusion order which Australia can use to prevent high-risk citizens from returning for up to two years.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 May 2026
Noun
-
All this taught me to understand the daily humiliations one experiences as an exile and refugee in a world where nobody wants you.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
-
In exile, Carvajal began making grandiose denunciations of Maduro on his personal blog (now taken down) and on social media.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Los Angeles cannot solve its housing challenges while responsibility is scattered across multiple departments, with no single office accountable for preventing displacement and increasing housing stability.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
-
For years, tech experts like Hinton predicted displacement by AI partly because some radiologists’ tasks are seemingly formulaic and repetitive, such as reading scans and writing reports.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Some are backing away from exclusionary discipline like suspensions and expulsions and have embraced schoolwide approaches that reward positive behavior and provide social skills practice through games and role-playing.—
Stacker,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
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An important function of the County Board of Education is to serve as an appellate body for redistricting and expulsion petitions.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
The appeals court ruled in September 2025 that Mid Vermont Christian must be allowed to participate in state athletics, after two years of banishment had passed.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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Like there was a demon in his lungs, fighting the last bit of banishment.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ostracism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostracism. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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