expel

verb

ex·​pel ik-ˈspel 

expelled; expelling

transitive verb

1

: to force out : eject

expelled the smoke from her lungs

2

: to force to leave (a place, an organization, etc.) by official action : take away rights or privileges of membership

was expelled from college

expellable

ik-ˈspe-lə-bəl 

adjective

Did you know?

To expel is to drive out, and its usual noun is expulsion. Expel is similar to eject, but expel suggests pushing out while eject suggests throwing out. Also, ejecting may only be temporary: the player ejected from a game may be back tomorrow, but the student expelled from school is probably out forever.

Synonyms of expel

• eject
• out
• banish
• dismiss
• chase

Choose the Right Synonym for expel

eject, expel, oust, evict mean to drive or force out.

eject carries an especially strong implication of throwing or thrusting out from within as a physical action.

ejected an obnoxious patron from the bar

expel stresses a thrusting out or driving away especially permanently which need not be physical.

a student expelled from college

oust implies removal or dispossession by power of the law or by force or compulsion.

police ousted the squatters

evict chiefly applies to turning out of house and home.

evicted for nonpayment of rent

Examples of expel in a Sentence

The club may expel members who do not follow the rules.

She was expelled from school for bad behavior.

expel air from the lungs

Recent Examples on the Web

Representatives from two local tribes draw a parallel between the gather and past efforts to expel their people from their ancestral lands, and say the horses are intertwined with their culture. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026

Senate Bill 123 prohibits schools from expelling students solely because of excessive absences or truancy. — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 29 June 2026

South Africa, which was expelled from FIFA in 1976 as a consequence of its apartheid government, returned to participation in 1992 but didn’t qualify for the World Cup until 1998 and also made appearances in 2002 and 2010. — Fred Robledo, Oc Register, 28 June 2026

One study suggests that mass air-conditioning could expel enough hot air to raise the city’s temperature by nearly 4 degrees Fahrenheit on the hottest days, and bring more intense localized effects on narrow streets and in building courtyards. — Henry Grabar, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English expellen, from Latin expellere, from ex- + pellere to drive — more at felt

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for expel

• barbell
• bedwell
• befell
• bluebell
• bombshell
• bridewell
• capelle
• cartel
• carvel
• clamshell
• cogswell
• compel

Kids Definition

expel

verb

ex·​pel ik-ˈspel 

expelled; expelling

1

: to drive or force out

expel air from the lungs

2

: to force to leave usually by official action

expelled from school