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.

Mueller, who routinely shunned the limelight throughout his law-enforcement career, largely vanished from public view after his departure from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2013.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026

Individuals all over the country were fired from their jobs, shunned, ostracized and run out of town for insufficient reverence for Kirk on social media.

From Salon • Mar. 12, 2026

For the most part, however, until Jesse was famous, he shunned his son, who was later adopted by the man his mother married, Charles Jackson.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026

Robert Duvall, a prolific, Oscar-winning actor who shunned glitz and won praise as one of his generation's greatest and most versatile artists, has died at age 95.

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

Since my dad left, I’ve always felt shunned and that it was my fault.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers

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