Ostracise
verb /ˈɒs.trə.saɪz/ — To exclude someone from a group or society.
Definition
To exclude from a society or group; to refuse to associate with or acknowledge someone. The ostracised person is not punished physically — they are simply removed from belonging. Which is its own kind of punishment.
Beyond the definition
Ostracism is one of the most effective human punishments because it targets the most fundamental human need: to belong. The excluded person is not harmed — they are simply made absent. And the absence is felt absolutely.
Origin & history
Greek: 'ostrakizein' (to banish by voting with potsherds). In ancient Athens, citizens could vote annually to banish someone for ten years by writing the name on a pottery shard ('ostrakon'). Ostracism required no accusation and no trial.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
After the argument, the group ostracised him entirely — never formally, just in every practical way.
The Athenian practice of ostracism was democracy's nuclear option: available to all, devastating to the target.
She hadn't been explicitly fired or reprimanded — just gradually ostracised until leaving felt like her own idea.
How to use it
This entry uses a verb. Follow the examples for tense and any objects or prepositions it needs.
Choose “Ostracise” when the meaning fits your context: To exclude from a society or group; to refuse to associate with or acknowledge someone. The ostracised person is not punished physically — they are simply removed from belonging. Which is its own kind of punishment.
Synonyms
exclude, shun, banish, cold-shoulder
Antonyms
include, welcome, embrace
Related words
Ostracise vs boycott
Ostracise is the social exclusion of an individual from a community. Boycott is the act of refusing to deal with an organization or product as a protest.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Feeling Disconnected in Office
An adult stands in a bustling office, feeling confused and disconnected from colleagues who don't share their reality.
The adult's sense of being an outsider in the busy office captures the experience of being ostracized—not punished with violence, but simply removed from the sense of belonging within the group.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Ostracise" mean?
Ostracise is verb meaning: To exclude someone from a group or society.. To exclude from a society or group; to refuse to associate with or acknowledge someone. The ostracised person is not punished physically — they are simply removed from belonging. Which is its own kind of punishment.
Where does the word "Ostracise" come from?
Greek: 'ostrakizein' (to banish by voting with potsherds). In ancient Athens, citizens could vote annually to banish someone for ten years by writing the name on a pottery shard ('ostrakon'). Ostracism required no accusation and no trial.