Definition of pariahnext
as in outcast
one who is cast out or rejected by society I felt like a pariah when I wore the wrong outfit to the dinner party

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 pariah As someone who is clearly a lonely pariah with few friends and zero family, this is often. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026 Cultural and academic boycotts are expanding, and countries such as Spain, Italy, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands have imposed arms embargoes or trade restrictions, signs of a state moving toward pariah status. Ken Barnes, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2026 In Season 2, Maxine is left a social pariah after a scandalous public breakdown. Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 2 Mar. 2026 The Biden administration repeatedly used such votes to depict Russia as a pariah state. Dave Lawler, Axios, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pariah
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pariah
Noun
  • This attention at long last is sweet revenge for so many years as an outcast.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
  • It’s based on the dramatic and emotionally wrenching personal life of Southern Gothic author Carson McCullers, a physically frail but powerful novelist, adept at portraying the loneliness and isolation of misfits and outcasts.
    Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Twenty to thirty minutes gets you to Plaka for the Spinalonga boats (the former leper colony that's become weirdly Instagram-famous), or head inland to the Lasithi villages which is famous for pottery.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Having the virus was like being a leper.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Today, there are hundreds of rejects packed in wood cabinets and cardboard boxes.
    Steve Hartman, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
  • At first glance, the collection seemed to be a paean to rejects.
    Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Viewers got to watch 24 castaways—four of whom came from previous seasons of Australian Survivor, three of whom have appeared on other reality TV shows, and 17 brand-new contestants—live on emote islands, compete in challenges, and vote each other off the show.
    Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Carving out a little lane of their own is ØWay, a supergroup of castaways big enough to fill every position on a baseball field.
    Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 24 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pariah.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pariah. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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