Choose the most suitable one-word substitution for the following.
Exclusion from a society or group.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Correct Answer
Ostracism
Explanation
The term "ostracism" refers to the deliberate exclusion, banishment, or shunning of an individual from a society, community, or social group. Historically, it comes from an ancient Athenian democratic practice where citizens voted to banish dangerous individuals using pottery shards called ostrakons.
The other options have entirely different meanings. Dichotomy means a sharp division or contrast between two completely opposite things. Abnegation refers to the act of renouncing, rejecting, or denying oneself something, like a right or a belief. Solipsism is a philosophical theory stating that only one's own mind is sure to exist.
Key Points
Root words and historical context can make one-word substitutions much easier to memorize. Linking the word ostracism to the historical concept of social banishment helps you instantly isolate it from abstract philosophical terms like solipsism or dichotomy.