ostracism
Americannoun
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exclusion, by general consent, from social acceptance, privileges, friendship, etc.
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(in ancient Greece) temporary banishment of a citizen, decided upon by popular vote.
Etymology
Origin of ostracism
1570–80; < New Latin ostracismus < Greek ostrakismós banishment, equivalent to ostrak ( ízein ) to ostracize + -ismos -ism
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In nonviolent settings, it leads to mean-girl-style ostracism or political backstabbing around the corporate watercooler.
From Slate • Mar. 16, 2026
He insisted on creating odd-looking buildings and incorporating unusual materials, leading to a lengthy period of ostracism and rejection.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 12, 2026
"That review identified evidence of a concerning practice of social ostracism among students, often referred to as a cancel culture," the coroner said.
From BBC • Nov. 14, 2024
Garner has never worried much about the risk of ostracism, which she has repeatedly courted by sticking to her own artistic code and her own moral compass.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 10, 2023
You will face more hate and ridicule and ostracism than you can even begin to fathom.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
