ostracize
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to exclude, by general consent, from society, friendship, conversation, privileges, etc..
His friends ostracized him after his father's arrest.
- Antonyms:
- accept
-
to banish (a person) from their native country; expatriate.
-
(in ancient Greece) to banish (a citizen) temporarily by popular vote.
verb
-
to exclude or banish (a person) from a particular group, society, etc
-
(in ancient Greece) to punish by temporary exile
Other Word Forms
- ostracism noun
- ostracizable adjective
- ostracization noun
- ostracizer noun
Etymology
Origin of ostracize
First recorded in 1640–50; from Greek ostrakízein, equivalent to óstrak(on) “potsherd, tile, ballot” (akin to óstreion oyster ( def. ) ) + -izein -ize ( def. )
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.
SAG voters usually embrace studio movies that other groups ostracize — they nominated “Babylon” — so this disrespectation comes as something of a surprise.
From Los Angeles Times
Innocent people were fired from their jobs and ostracized by their communities.
From Literature
It hosts many animals that previously were injured, ostracized from their social groups or illegally kept as pets — such as Neil.
From Los Angeles Times
Anyone presenting information not approved by the ruler is denounced and belittled, ostracized and denied access.
From Salon
Still, the version that did make it to the screen, where Elio feels ostracized because of his obsession with extraterrestrial life and all its possibilities, remains relevant.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
