excommunication

noun ex·com·mu·ni·ca·tion \ ˌek-skə-ˌmyü-nə-ˈkā-shən \

Updated on: 6 Apr 2018

Definition of excommunication

1 : an ecclesiastical censure depriving a person of the rights of church membership

2 : exclusion from fellowship in a group or community

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excommunicative

play \ˌek-skə-ˈmyü-nə-ˌkā-tiv, -ni-kə-tiv\ adjective

Recent Examples of excommunication from the Web

Under the deal, Zhan, in turn, would have his excommunication lifted by Pope Francis.

— nicole winfield, BostonGlobe.com, "Key unofficial bishop in Vatican-China deal detained," 27 Mar. 2018
His racial worldview has cost him jobs and led to his excommunication from his Orthodox Christian church.

— marwa eltagouri, chicagotribune.com, "White nationalist leader Matthew Heimbach arrested for domestic battery," 14 Mar. 2018
Bannon, ousted from the White House in August, has seen his excommunication finalized in the book’s wake.

— tory newmyer, Washington Post, "The Finance 202: Gary Cohn may soon be headed for the exits.," 8 Jan. 2018
But the upshot is that the RNC believes even smaller-scale admissions and generalized apologies are apparently worthy of excommunication, while blanket denials are preferable for anyone who wants to stay in the good graces of the party.

— aaron blake, Washington Post, "Republicans draw a very fine line between Steve Wynn and Harvey Weinstein, while keeping Wynn's money," 30 Jan. 2018
His excommunication — banned forever from league arenas — was historic, a loud message from the NBA that owners will be held to a minimal standard of human decency and honor.

— San Francisco Chronicle, "Slummin’ at a slumlord’s quiet place in Beverly Hills," 15 Jan. 2018
The book led to the full-scale excommunication of Steve Bannon, who had been threatening primary challenges against leading Republican Senators.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "If Trump Fires Mueller, Republicans Are Ready to Defend Him," 15 Jan. 2018
Such views, along with Luther’s refusal to renounce them, resulted in his excommunication from the Catholic Church.

— kristin e. holmes, Philly.com, "500 years after Protestant Reformation, remembering Martin Luther with services, sweets and suds," 27 Oct. 2017
There is no evangelical magisterium, dictating the terms of excommunication and apostasy.

— ed kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "Nashville Statement Signatories Want to Excommunicate Other Christians for the Sin of Accepting LGBTQ Folk," 13 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'excommunication.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.