black sheep
Relative bringing disgrace
A black sheep is the disgraceful or disreputable member of a group, especially a family: He was the black sheep of the family—dropped out of college and never held a job.
The term comes from the literal oddity of a dark lamb among white ones, but always carries connotations of shame or disappointment rather than mere difference.
Rejected, shunned person
- misfitOne who doesn't fit in
- outsiderOne excluded from group
- rejectDismiss as unsuitable
- exileBanishment from homeland
ostracized · shunned · alienated · loner · marginalized · disowned · banished · castaway
Independent-minded rule-breaker
- nonconformistRejects prevailing social standards
- renegadeDeserter of a cause
- dissidentOpposer of established systems
- iconoclastAttacker of cherished beliefs
contrarian · individualist · eccentric · bohemian · radical · heretic · troublemaker · wild child
pariah
Rejected, shunned person
exile · ostracized · shunned · alienated · loner · marginalized · disowned · banished · castaway · forsaken
maverick
Independent-minded rule-breaker
- nonconformistRejects prevailing social standards
- renegadeDeserter of a cause
- dissidentOpposer of established systems
iconoclast · contrarian · individualist · eccentric · bohemian · radical · heretic · troublemaker · wild child · provocateur
shame
Painful awareness of failure
- embarrassmentSelf-conscious unease
- scandalDisgraceful public affair
- disgraceLoss of honor
disappointment · stain · blemish · tarnish · discredit · reproach · infamy · ignominy · disrepute · family secret
- Sheepewe, ram, lamb, merino, fleece
- Animal Idiomsblind as a bat, brave as a lion, busy bee, copycat, dark horse
- Color Idiomsblue moon, green light, red flag, white lie, golden rule
- farm idiomsmake hay while the sun shines, cream of the crop, put the cart before the horse, till the cows come home, buy the farm
- outcastsoutcast, pariah, pariahs, outcasts, outlaws
- animal expressionslet sleeping dogs lie, raining cats and dogs, curiosity killed cat, horse sense, wild goose chase
black sheepgolden child
Family's most favored member
favorite son · pride and joy · fair-haired child · apple of one's eye · blue-eyed boy
black sheepconformist
One following accepted norms
insider · team player · pillar of the community · good egg · straight arrow
black, blacken, Black Friday, blackout, blacklist, blackness, blacks, blackish, blackened