as in criticized
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 ostracized
She was subsequently kicked off the worship team, her family was ostracized and the man who’d attacked her was left unpunished.
—
Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
He’s ostracized, bullied, ridiculed, beaten.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
Once ostracized for its saturated‑fat profile, tallow is enjoying a resurgence since the USDA revamped its dietary guidelines in January, emphasizing oils with essential fatty acids yet still leaving space for such fats as butter and beef tallow.
—David Dickstein, Oc Register, 22 Apr. 2026
Though ostracized in their time, people who resisted internment are now seen as civil-rights pioneers.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Miss Manners suspects that you will not be forever ostracized, or subject to any other repercussions.
—Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
Malcolm still feels ostracized by his family, so much so that he's nearly cut off contact from them.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Despite that, Shah claims Maxwell was not ostracized inside the facility and appeared to receive preferential treatment.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Being directed to bowl alone with an unfamiliar adult, rather than with her classmates, likely made Annie feel ostracized.
—Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
He’s ostracized, bullied, ridiculed, beaten.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
Once ostracized for its saturated‑fat profile, tallow is enjoying a resurgence since the USDA revamped its dietary guidelines in January, emphasizing oils with essential fatty acids yet still leaving space for such fats as butter and beef tallow.
—David Dickstein, Oc Register, 22 Apr. 2026
Though ostracized in their time, people who resisted internment are now seen as civil-rights pioneers.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Miss Manners suspects that you will not be forever ostracized, or subject to any other repercussions.
—Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
Malcolm still feels ostracized by his family, so much so that he's nearly cut off contact from them.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Despite that, Shah claims Maxwell was not ostracized inside the facility and appeared to receive preferential treatment.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Being directed to bowl alone with an unfamiliar adult, rather than with her classmates, likely made Annie feel ostracized.
—Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostracized
Verb
-
Mira cried, when Andy criticized Nate for being unsupportive.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
The Florida black bear, one of 16 subspecies of the American black bear, is often lauded as a Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission success story, though the agency was sharply criticized for staging a hunt of the state’s largest land mammal last year.—
Stephen Hudak,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Hours earlier, a vessel near the strait reported being attacked by several small boats.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
-
Iran warned Monday that any vessel attempting to transit the waterway would be attacked.—
May 4,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Candelora had denounced threats against Paris, none coming from Howard.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
2 May 2026
-
Lai vowed Taiwan ‘will never be deterred by external pressures,’ while China denounced the visit.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ostracized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostracized. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
