leper

noun

ˈle-pər How to pronounce leper (audio)
Definition of lepernext
as in outcast
one who is cast out or rejected by society was treated as a leper after she leveled unpopular criticism of the beloved star

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of leper Having the virus was like being a leper. — Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026 The palpable aversion to what has become the enterprise software leper colony doesn't help tech's case either. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 18 Jan. 2026 Meanwhile, in a remote leper village, a handsome stranger brings hope with miraculous cures until doubts grow about whether his help may come at a terrible cost. — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025 Remember, the Lord Jesus did not fear lepers, and leprosy was (and continues to be) a highly contagious infectious disease. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for leper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leper
  1. outcast
  2. pariah
  3. reject
  4. castaway
Noun
  • Those accused became social outcasts, leading to eviction notices from landlords, pink slips, club membership revocation and divorces.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • As Davud is drawn back into addiction, Shams grows increasingly isolated among the building’s workers, veterans and outcasts.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of outcast
Noun
  • Don’t choose this option If that road to peace is permanently closed, as Netanyahu’s coalition intends, Israel will condemn itself to perpetual warfare and to being a pariah nation in a friendless world.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Among the blunders of the first round was to turn Iran from a pariah state into a sympathetic one.
    — Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
Definition of pariah
Noun
  • And both the immune and eliminated designers are high on their own power; Elizabeth, in particular, is acting mighty haughty for a woman whose ruffled scarlet satin dress looks like a reject from the Westworld costume department.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 July 2026
  • The most opinionated of these rejects is Smarty Pants, a basic toilet-training tech tool given an amusingly snarky attitude by Conan O’Brien.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026
Definition of reject
Noun
  • Gilligan’s Island, American television sitcom about a group of castaways on a desert island and the chaos that ensues as their attempts at rescue are constantly thwarted.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Supporters of the theory believe that Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan became stranded on the remote island after failing to reach Howland Island — possibly dying as castaways.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of castaway

Browse Nearby Words

lent
leper
lepers
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Leper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leper. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on leper

Nglish: Translation of leper for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All