Word
shunning
Phoneticsshun·ning, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈʃənɪŋ/
UK/ʃˈʌnɪŋ/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. deliberate staying away from someone, usually to punish them or show you disapprove. You see it when a group stops talking to a person completely.
n. deliberate avoidance or exclusion of a person or group, often as a form of social punishment. Often implies collective or public rejection rather than private dislike.
Examples
“They are shunning him after the big argument.”
“After the disagreement, her old friends are shunning her and she eats lunch alone.”
“The community's quiet shunning of the whistleblower revealed more about its fear of conflict than about his actions.”
Examples
simple
“They are shunning him after the big argument.”
contextual
“After the disagreement, her old friends are shunning her and she eats lunch alone.”
complex
“The community's quiet shunning of the whistleblower revealed more about its fear of conflict than about his actions.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “shunning” in context.
Verb
01. endure shunning
“She endured months of shunning before friends spoke to her again.”
verb + noun
02. face shunning
“He faced shunning from his community after breaking its rules.”
verb + noun
03. fear shunning
“Many members fear shunning if they question the leaders.”
verb + noun
04. practice shunning
“Some strict groups still practice shunning as a punishment.”
verb + noun
Adjective
05. complete shunning
“After the row, there was complete shunning with no calls or texts.”
adj + noun
06. deliberate shunning
“His deliberate shunning by old friends left him feeling lonely and confused.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. act of shunning
“Refusing to invite him was seen as an act of shunning.”
noun + prep + noun
08. policy of shunning
“The church ended its old policy of shunning former members.”
noun + prep + noun
09. deliberate act of shunning
“Not inviting her to dinner was a deliberate act of shunning.”
10. end the policy of shunning
“Leaders voted to end the policy of shunning former members.”
11. face shunning from family
“After leaving the group, she faced shunning from family and friends.”
12. fear of social shunning
“Fear of social shunning stops many people from speaking up.”
Real-World Examples
“That spring she got an iPhone, and deliberately shunned me for a while afterwards.” “They are branded as traitors at home and shunned simply for being Israeli by too many supposed progressives abroad.” “The SD were founded by Nazi sympathisers in the 1980s and were shunned for decades by the mainstream.” “But SD - founded by Nazi sympathisers in the 1980s - had been shunned for years until 2022 when it became the country's second largest party after campaigning on violent crime and immigration.” - Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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