as in to criticize
to not allow (someone) to be included in a group; to exclude (someone) from a group
She was ostracized by the scientific community for many years because of her radical political beliefs. The other girls ostracized her because of the way she dressed.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ostracize
Miss Manners suspects that you will not be forever ostracized, or subject to any other repercussions.
—
Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
The militia is being rejected by the population on the ground and fears a meeting in D.C. would ostracize Hezbollah further.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Malcolm still feels ostracized by his family, so much so that he's nearly cut off contact from them.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Despite that, Shah claims Maxwell was not ostracized inside the facility and appeared to receive preferential treatment.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ostracize
Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
The militia is being rejected by the population on the ground and fears a meeting in D.C. would ostracize Hezbollah further.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Malcolm still feels ostracized by his family, so much so that he's nearly cut off contact from them.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Despite that, Shah claims Maxwell was not ostracized inside the facility and appeared to receive preferential treatment.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ostracize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ostracize
Verb
-
Again, Gulutzan was reluctant to criticize his team too harshly given how close the series has been.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
He was criticized for not spending enough time in the city and for his acceptance of unreported concert and sports tickets.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, had denounced the probe, which was announced in January, calling it a politically motivated step by the White House and a threat to the independence of the central bank.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The project denounces Haiti’s justice system through the story of a woman imprisoned for years without trial and later judged not by law, but by scripture.—
Lise Pedersen,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Democrats have attacked these anti-fraud policies as an effort to undermine safety net programs for the impoverished.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The latest war erupted on March 2, when, after holding its fire since a 2024 truce, Hezbollah launched a surprise barrage of missiles into northern Israel in retaliation for the United States and Israel attacking Iran.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ostracize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ostracize. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
