Synonyms

shunned

American

[shuhnd] / ʃʌnd /

adjective

avoided by people out of dislike, mistrust, disapproval, etc..

We might get more people to join the much shunned hospitality sector if wages were increased.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of shun.

Other Word Forms

unshunned

adjective

Etymology

Origin of shunned

shun ( def. ) + -ed ² ( 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.

Two reasons Michelangelo shunned Raphael were his youth and good looks.

From Salon • May 16, 2026

An NBC reporter gave this rundown: “Part-time jobs, shunned by neighbors, counseling for him and his wife, and a family divided. He sent his daughter to Jordan to escape the attention.”

From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026

Speaking to, Sarah Gorrell on BBC Radio Sussex, Becky said: "Because of disfigurement, burns patients were often shunned or abandoned by communities."

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

The warm embrace was a signal that the de facto Saudi leader, once shunned in the West, was fully rehabilitated on the world stage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

“Soon it will be time for me to sing. After that, I’ll either be surrounded by worshiping music lovers or be shunned by all.”

From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023