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Discover LudwigThe phrase "a black sheep" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe a person who is different from the rest of their group, often in a negative way, such as being an outcast or a troublemaker.
Example: "In a family of doctors and lawyers, Jake always felt like the black sheep for pursuing a career in art."
Alternatives: "an outsider" or "a misfit".
Idiom
Black sheep.
Someone who is the black sheep doesn't fit into a group or family because their behaviour or character is not good enough.
Exact(57)
Everybody's got a black sheep in the family.
Even the Lewis family has a black sheep.
I assumed there'd be talk — he's a black sheep.
Every family has a black sheep," he said.
This is invariably the sign of a black sheep.
He does not feel like a black sheep anymore.
Unwilling to join the family firm, he was something of a black sheep.
It's been seven years since a black sheep has come to market.
That was when I was a black sheep, years & years ago.
Similar(2)
On fakeancestry.com, everyone would have a black-sheep great-great-great-uncle who rode with Jesse James in the years just after the Civil War.
By comparison, Pattie's sister, Debra (Mollie O'Mara), a black-sheep type who has been secretly living in the local library, is a paragon of empathy.
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Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com