Fill in the blank: colleagues began to _______ him after he reported the fraud

Question

After he reported the fraud to the authorities, his colleagues began to _______ him — refusing to speak to him or include him in team meetings. A). ostracize B). venerate C). placate D). admonish

Edvaya · Accepted Answer

The correct answer is ostracize. Ostracize means to exclude someone from a group or society by general consent — to shun, banish, or socially isolate a person as a form of collective punishment or disapproval. Why "ostracize" fits: Being refused communication and excluded from meetings by colleagues is a clear instance of social ostracism — collective exclusion. Why the other options are wrong: • Venerate — to regard with great respect; the opposite of shunning. • Placate — to make someone less angry; implies conciliation, not exclusion. • Admonish — to warn or reprimand; involves direct communication, not exclusion. Historical origin: From ancient Athens, where citizens could vote to banish a person by writing a name on a pottery shard ( ostrakon ). Synonyms: Shun, exclude, exile, blackball, cold-shoulder.

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