shunned: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal to Neutral
Quick answer
What does “shunned” mean?
The past tense and past participle of 'shun', meaning to deliberately avoid, ignore, or reject someone or something.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The past tense and past participle of 'shun', meaning to deliberately avoid, ignore, or reject someone or something; to keep away from.
It can imply a social or moral rejection, often by a group, due to disapproval, fear, or a desire to dissociate from an undesirable person, idea, or behaviour.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
Consistently strong connotation of social/moral rejection in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in formal/written contexts in both regions. Not a high-frequency word in everyday casual speech.
Grammar
How to Use “shunned” in a Sentence
[Subject] shunned [Object][Subject] was shunned by [Agent]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “shunned” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The village shunned him after the incident.
- She has shunned all offers of help.
- The company shunned traditional marketing.
American English
- He was shunned by his former colleagues.
- They shunned processed foods completely.
- The politician shunned the reporter's questions.
adverb
British English
- (Rarely used as an adverb; 'shun' is not an adjectival base for a standard adverb.)
American English
- (Rarely used as an adverb; 'shun' is not an adjectival base for a standard adverb.)
adjective
British English
- The shunned entrepreneur started a new venture abroad.
- She wrote a book about her life as a shunned artist.
American English
- He felt like a shunned outsider at the reunion.
- The shunned technology later became industry standard.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used regarding avoiding certain investments, practices, or partnerships due to ethical concerns or bad reputation (e.g., 'The firm shunned fossil fuel investments.').
Academic
Used in sociology, history, and literature to describe social exclusion (e.g., 'The heretic was shunned by the community.').
Everyday
Used to describe being left out or avoided by friends/community (e.g., 'After the scandal, he was shunned at the club.').
Technical
Not typically a technical term, but may appear in social psychology texts discussing ostracism.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “shunned”
- Incorrect: 'He was shunned from the group.' (Use 'by': 'He was shunned by the group.')
- Incorrect: 'She shunned to go there.' (The verb takes a direct object, not an infinitive: 'She shunned the place.' or 'She shunned going there.')
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Shun' is stronger and more deliberate than 'avoid'. It implies a moral, social, or emotional reason for avoidance, often with a sense of rejection. 'Avoid' can be for practical or casual reasons (e.g., avoid traffic).
It can be used for both. You can shun a person (social rejection) and also shun an idea, a food, a product, or a behaviour (deliberate rejection or avoidance).
It's not extremely common in casual conversation. It's more often found in writing, news, and formal contexts where strong, intentional avoidance is described.
The related noun is 'ostracism' (the state of being shunned). You can also say 'he faced shunning' or 'social shunning'.
The past tense and past participle of 'shun', meaning to deliberately avoid, ignore, or reject someone or something.
Shunned is usually formal to neutral in register.
Shunned: in British English it is pronounced /ʃʌnd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ʃʌnd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(To be) sent to Coventry (UK specific synonym for being shunned by a group)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'SHUNned' sounding like 'SHUN' + 'ned'. A 'SHUN' is a loud signal to avoid danger (like a train). If you are shunned, people are giving you the social 'shun' signal to stay away.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL REJECTION IS PHYSICAL DISTANCING / AVOIDING A CONTAMINANT. (We shun people as if they are a source of disease or danger).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'shunned' CORRECTLY?