What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
ostracize
Example
The company decided to ostracize the employee who leaked confidential information. [ostracize: verb]
Example
She felt ostracized by her classmates after the rumor spread. [ostracized: past participle]
shun
Example
The community shunned the family after the scandal. [shun: verb]
Example
He decided to shun social media for a while to focus on his mental health. [shun: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Shun is more commonly used than ostracize in everyday language. Shun is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while ostracize is less common and has a more formal and serious connotation.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between ostracize and shun?
While ostracize is typically associated with a formal and serious tone, shun can be employed in various formality levels, allowing it to be used in both formal and informal contexts.
