expel

verb

ex·​pel ik-ˈspel How to pronounce expel (audio)
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 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.

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 The passenger sitting next to that window, Jennifer Riordan, 43, was expelled through the broken window. Gregory Wallace, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 Eight of them, including Willis, Mayfield and Cole were expelled. Debbie Elliott, NPR, 28 Feb. 2024 Three hundred thousand Arabs were expelled or fled before the British withdrew, in May, 1948. Shane Bauer, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 Regulations have since changed, but older buildings may still expel lead from old paint and dust. The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024 The chart compares births to encounters, a tally that counts the number of incidents in which an immigrant is either apprehended or expelled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Eric Litke, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024 In December, Santos was expelled from the House of Representatives following an Ethics Committee investigation and being indicted and arrested on charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and lying to Congress. Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2024 Santos, an ex–New York congressman infamous for fabricating major parts of his life story during his run for office, was expelled from the House of Representatives last year after being charged with a litany of wrongdoings including fraud, money laundering, and theft. Shania Russell, EW.com, 21 Feb. 2024 The far-off storm flashing on the horizon expels my subliminal rage. Chloe Bottero, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'expel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of expel was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near expel

Cite this Entry

“Expel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expel. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

expel

verb
ex·​pel ik-ˈspel How to pronounce expel (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on expel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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