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ostracize

OSS-truh-size /ˈɒstrəsaɪz/

verbC1GRESATCAT

formalliterary

To exclude someone from a society or group.

Usually implies a collective, social rejection rather than a single person's snub.

The story behind the word. In ancient Athens, citizens would write the name of a person they wanted to banish on a piece of broken pottery called an 'ostrakon.' If enough people voted, that person was sent away for ten years.

Word relationships

exclude: Exclude is general; ostracize is a more severe, social form of shunning.
shun: Shun is often an individual act of avoidance; ostracize is a group action.

embrace: Embrace implies warm acceptance into a group.
welcome: Welcome is the act of inviting someone in, the opposite of pushing them out.

Commonly confused with

exile: Exile is usually a legal removal from a country; ostracize is a social removal from a group.

Word family

ostracism (noun): Exclusion from a society or group.

Collocations

socially ostracized
ostracized from the group
fear of being ostracized

Idioms & expressions

send to Coventry
give the cold shoulder

Example sentences

"She was ostracized by the scientific community after her fraudulent data was discovered." Social dynamics in a community.
"In ancient Athens, citizens could vote to ostracize a politician for ten years." Historical reference.

Memory hook

Imagine an 'ostrich' being kicked out of the herd and hiding its head in the sand. Ostracize = Out-sized (kicked out of the size of the group).

When not to use

Do not use for simply ignoring someone; it implies a formal or semi-formal banishment from a community.

Fun facts

The word 'ostrakon' is also where we get the word 'oyster,' because of the shell-like appearance of the pottery shards.