Ostracize someone 🏺🚶

Meaning

To exclude or banish someone from a group, society, or organization.

Origin

Picture ancient Athens, a place of vibrant democracy. But even democracies have their dark side. In the 5th century BC, Athenians developed a unique way to deal with citizens who became too powerful, popular, or generally just annoying. They'd hold a vote, using pottery shards called 'ostraka' – hence the word 'ostracize.' If one person received enough votes, they were exiled from Athens for ten years! It wasn't necessarily permanent banishment, and it wasn't usually about exile for a crime, but rather a social cooling-off period to prevent tyranny and keep the peace. Imagine your neighbors literally voting you out of town!

🏛️🏺 classical antiquity 🏛️🎭 greek roman 🗣️ communication 👑⚖️ power ⚖️ legal 😥😔 sadness

Ostracize someone represented with emoji🏺🚶

Note how the humble vase, a vessel of history and artistry, is juxtaposed with a lone figure traversing its path. This playful pairing functions as a potent visual metaphor, teaching the viewer the subtle yet powerful act of exclusion. It captures the essence of being set apart, transforming a simple walk into an act of banishment, and underscores the inherent tension between belonging and isolation.

Examples

  • The entire community decided to ostracize him after he broke their trust.
  • If you spread gossip, the other kids might ostracize you from their games.
  • The queen threatened to ostracize the jester for telling jokes too close to the royal ear.
  • The grumpy gargoyle decided to ostracize the singing statues from the castle courtyard because their carols disturbed his nap.

Frequently asked questions

Is ostracize someone a permanent punishment?

Historically, ostracizing someone in ancient Athens was not permanent, typically lasting for ten years. This duration served as a cooling-off period rather than lifelong exile.

Can ostracize someone be used in modern politics?

While direct voting for banishment like in ancient Athens is rare, the concept of ostracizing someone through social or political exclusion is still prevalent. It refers more metaphorically to a group's collective refusal to engage with an individual.

What is the opposite of ostracize someone?

The opposite of ostracize someone is to welcome, embrace, or include them. This involves actively bringing an individual into a group or community, contrary to exclusion.

Was ostracize someone always a negative action?

While ostracizing now has negative connotations, its original Athenian use was considered a preventative measure, not necessarily a punishment for a crime but a way to safeguard democracy. It aimed to curb potential threats to the state by temporarily removing influential individuals.

Similar to "ostracize someone"

Shun the outcast
Both 'ostracize someone' and 'shun the outcast' involve deliberate exclusion, but 'shun the outcast' carries a heavier, almost moralistic weight, implying that the person *is already* considered an outcast and is now being actively avoided, perhaps with a touch of self-righteousness
Put someone in Coventry
Both phrases mean to exclude someone, but 'put someone in Coventry' is a distinctly British idiom steeped in a history of social enforcement, suggesting a more passive, yet chillingly effective, group-wide silence and avoidance as punishment
Excommunicate a sinner
Both 'ostracize someone' and 'excommunicate a sinner' are forms of banishment, but 'excommunicate a sinner' is specifically religious, implying a severing of spiritual ties and eternal damnation, a far more profound and supernatural consequence than social exclusion

Opposite of "ostracize someone"

Embrace the prodigal
This phrase argues for welcoming back those who have strayed, presenting a direct counterpoint to the punitive nature of ostracism by emphasizing forgiveness and reunion, making the act of exclusion seem unnecessarily harsh
Integrate the outsider
This argues for active inclusion rather than exclusion, highlighting the value of bringing new perspectives into the fold. It stands against ostracism by championing unity and mutual benefit, suggesting that keeping people out weakens the group

Related to "ostracize someone"

Kick someone out
This phrase shares the core idea of forceful removal, but while ostracism is often a social process, 'kicking someone out' is a more direct, often administrative or physical, act of expulsion
Social pariah
This term describes the *state* of being ostracized, painting a vivid picture of someone thoroughly rejected by society, making it the lonely destination that ostracism aims to create
Cancel culture
This modern phenomenon is a potent engine of public ostracism, demonstrating how widespread social condemnation, often amplified by digital platforms, can swiftly lead to elaborate forms of banishment
Hold someone accountable
This phrase operates in the same sphere of social consequence, but whereas ostracism is a punishment, 'holding someone accountable' implies a move towards justice or rectification, which might or might not involve exclusion