shut out
To stop someone from coming in or being part of something, or to stop thinking about something.
Meanings
To prevent someone from entering a place or being included in a group.
"Several low-income families have been effectively shut out of the housing market."
"We will not go back to the days when our doors were shut to immigrants seeking opportunity."
— Barack Obama, immigration speech (2014)
To stop a thought, memory, or feeling from entering one's consciousness.
"She tried to shut out the memory of the accident, but it kept returning."
In sports, to prevent the opposing team from scoring any points.
"The goalkeeper shut out three powerful strikers and led his team to victory."
Three common uses: (1) physical exclusion from a place, (2) emotional exclusion from a group or situation, (3) blocking thoughts or memories from one's mind. Also a sports term: 'shut out the opposition' (prevent them scoring). The noun 'shutout' is common in American sports.
Commonly used with
Forms
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