ostracize
Exclude from group
To ostracize someone is to exclude them from a group or from society.
The word comes from ancient Athens, where citizens could vote to banish someone by writing their name on a potsherd (ostrakon).
Today ostracism is social rather than official: After the scandal, she was ostracized by her former friends.
The British spelling is ostracise.
Deliberately keep away
- blackballExclude by negative vote
- excludeBar from participation
- rejectDismiss as unsuitable
- snubDeliberate dismissive rejection
cold-shoulder · boycott · spurn · debar · blacklist · shut out · freeze out · give the cold shoulder
Banishment from homeland
- expelRemove forcibly from membership
- banishOfficially send away
- cast outForcibly remove or expel
- oustRemove from position
evict · excommunicate · deport · proscribe · eject · dismiss · purge · relegate
Shunned, rejected person
- pariahRejected, shunned person
- persona non grataOfficially unwelcome individual
- untouchableExempt from criticism or harm
- leperOne shunned for illness
scapegoat · outsider · reject · misfit · undesirable · black sheep · unperson · marginalized
Cause emotional distance
- estrangeCause emotional separation
- isolateSeparate from others
- marginalizeTreat as insignificant
- abandonLeave behind permanently
disown · forsake · cut ties · distance · detach · separate · disconnect · turn back on
shun
Deliberately keep away
snub · cold-shoulder · boycott · spurn · debar · blacklist · shut out · freeze out · give the cold shoulder · turn away
exile
Banishment from homeland
oust · evict · excommunicate · deport · proscribe · eject · dismiss · purge · relegate · expatriate
outcast
Shunned, rejected person
- pariahRejected, shunned person
- persona non grataOfficially unwelcome individual
- untouchableExempt from criticism or harm
leper · scapegoat · outsider · reject · misfit · undesirable · black sheep · unperson · marginalized · unwelcome
alienate
Cause emotional distance
- estrangeCause emotional separation
- isolateSeparate from others
- marginalizeTreat as insignificant
abandon · disown · forsake · cut ties · distance · detach · separate · disconnect · turn back on
stigmatize
Mark with dishonor
- vilifyAttack someone's reputation
- denouncePublicly declare wrongdoing
- censureFormal institutional disapproval
condemn · shame · disgrace · reproach · revile · brand · demonize · pillory · defame · discredit
- dismissdismiss, brush off, brush aside, wave away, wave off
- exclusionsexclude, exclusion, excluding, except, exception
- contemptcontempt, scorn, disdain, despise, derision
- disapprovaldisapproval, scowl, disapprove, disapproves, frown
- keeping outbar, ban, block, lock, fence
- rejectionrejection, reject, denial, refuse, refusal
- social ostracismExclusion from group membership
ostracism, ostracized, ostracise, ostracizing, ostracizes, ostracised, ostracises, ostracising, ostracisms