Meaning & use

ostracize

verb·Advanced

To exclude someone from a group or community, often as a form of punishment or disapproval.

See it in a sentence

The village ostracized the family after the scandal became public knowledge.

She felt ostracized by her former friends after she changed schools.

A note on using this word

Ostracize comes from an ancient Athenian practice of banishing citizens by public vote.

Words with a similar meaning

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Words with an opposite meaning

welcomeembrace

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