as in to criticize
to not allow (someone) to be included in a group; to exclude (someone) from a group
She was ostracized by the scientific community for many years because of her radical political beliefs. The other girls ostracized her because of the way she dressed.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ostracize
Those with low self-esteem were more likely to use silence as a defensive response to criticism or rejection and were more likely to report feeling ostracized more frequently themselves.
—
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Dell said the real challenge is how quickly students who deviate from their peers’ politics can be ostracized.
—Hanna Kang, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Judy was sort of a nonentity in these films until Annabelle Comes Home, where she was played by Mckenna Grace and given the character development of being ostracized by her classmates over her possible-grifter parents.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Part of the presentation focused on helping people overcome their fear of being ostracized for having plants seen as too wild.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostracize
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Dell said the real challenge is how quickly students who deviate from their peers’ politics can be ostracized.
—Hanna Kang, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Judy was sort of a nonentity in these films until Annabelle Comes Home, where she was played by Mckenna Grace and given the character development of being ostracized by her classmates over her possible-grifter parents.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Part of the presentation focused on helping people overcome their fear of being ostracized for having plants seen as too wild.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostracize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostracize
Verb
-
House Democrats swiftly criticized the Senate.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Bibelheimer also had good reason to criticize the film, as Ferrell’s portrayal of her was wildly at odds with the truth.—
Sarah Weinman,
Rolling Stone,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
But in a shocker move in September 1983, Joe Strummer kicked guitarist Mick Jones out of the band, denouncing his former mate as a rock-star sellout.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Anger and apology Bosch, who was crowned Miss Universe Mexico earlier this year, denounced Nawat for insulting her.—
Anabella González,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In October alone, shoppers were attacked in a supermarket, a Spanish tourist was scratched by a cub at a heritage site, and a trail runner was forced to wrestle a bear in the woods before sprinting to safety.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Iran fired hundreds of ballistic missiles into Israel in response and attacked the Middle East's largest American military base in Qatar.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ostracize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostracize. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share