rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryostracismExclusion from a group
noun

ostracism

AH-struh-siz-uhm/ˈɑːstrəsɪzəm/

Exclusion from a community or group through collective rejection.

He faces ostracism from his teammates after criticizing the coach.

A modern social group deliberately turns away and closes its circle, excluding a lonely adult standing outside with hurt expression, clear intentional exclusion, no text.
Etymology
ostracGreektile, potsherd
+ismGreekaction or practice

A potsherd was a ballot: Athenian citizens scratched on it the name of someone they wanted banished. The name of this political procedure broadened to deliberate exclusion from society or a group.

In context

JIBS Infotainment2:41
ostracism is an especially subtle and Silent form of exclusion and might often go unnoticed by individuals other than the target of the ostracism
Ostracism, Social Exclusion, and Bullying

More examples

  • Fear of ostracism keeps many members from questioning the group's rules.
  • Leaving the religion can lead to ostracism within the community.
  • The rumors lead to months of ostracism at school.

Forms

ostracism

ostracize verb — Exclude someone from a group through rejection.

Similar words

exclusion
Broader; includes being kept out without collective social rejection.
shunning
Emphasizes deliberate avoidance, whether by individuals or a group.
banishment
Usually involves forced departure rather than continued social rejection.