expulsion

noun

ex·​pul·​sion ik-ˈspəl-shən How to pronounce expulsion (audio)
: the act of expelling : the state of being expelled
expulsive adjective

Examples of expulsion in a Sentence

The government engaged in mass expulsions. the expulsion of air from the lungs
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Robert Eggers' first feature tells a folk horror tale about a devout family — led by father William (Ralph Ineson) and his wife, Katherine (Kate Dickie) — living on an isolated farm in 1630s New England after their expulsion from Puritan society. Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025 The film follows Clawdeen Wolf (Miia Harris), a 15-year-old human/werewolf who enrolls at Monster High and must hide her human identity to avoid expulsion. Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025 These include executive orders and regulatory changes to enforce immigration laws more strictly, pause or restrict refugee resettlement, reinstate rapid-expulsion policies like Title 42, expedite deportations, and increase border barrier construction. Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025 The party called for the expulsion of the French ambassador, and thousands of people gathered in the streets to pressure the government to act on their demand. NPR, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for expulsion

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French expulsioun, from Latin expulsion-, expulsio, from expellere to expel

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of expulsion was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Expulsion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expulsion. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

expulsion

noun
ex·​pul·​sion ik-ˈspəl-shən How to pronounce expulsion (audio)
: the act of expelling : the state of being expelled

More from Merriam-Webster on expulsion

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