as in expulsion
the forced removal from a homeland
when Romeo learns he has been sentenced to banishment, he claims it is worse than death because he will be separated from Juliet forever
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Recent Examples of banishment
By episode five, Michael had moved on from suspecting Yam Yam to suspecting Colton, who was a ringleader in the previous episode’s banishment of Big Brother fan favorite Tiffany Mitchell.
—
Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
After his banishment, Rapaport apologized in his confessional.
—Emily Longeretta, Variety, 16 Jan. 2026
In the end, Tiffany collected 15 of the 18 banishment votes and was the sixth player eliminated from the game.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Jan. 2026
Many quite authentic Natives were targeted for banishment, and the ugly infighting their work inspired was covered widely—by the standards of Indian affairs—in the American media, which saw the battles as part of the larger identity wars raging across the nation in the new millennium.
—David Treuer, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
After another challenge and the banishment of Williams, the Traitors were tasked with a murder in plain sight.
—Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 8 Jan. 2026
His daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, have remained in the Windsor dynasty's good graces following Andrew's banishment.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 29 Dec. 2025
Neither Father Burke or Sister Irene realize it at the end of the movie, but Valak evades banishment by possessing Frenchie.
—Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
The autocratic czarist regime ruled with an iron hand and suppressed opposition through censorship, banishment, and executions.
—Karl Ove Knausgaard, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
After his banishment, Rapaport apologized in his confessional.
—Emily Longeretta, Variety, 16 Jan. 2026
In the end, Tiffany collected 15 of the 18 banishment votes and was the sixth player eliminated from the game.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Jan. 2026
Many quite authentic Natives were targeted for banishment, and the ugly infighting their work inspired was covered widely—by the standards of Indian affairs—in the American media, which saw the battles as part of the larger identity wars raging across the nation in the new millennium.
—David Treuer, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
After another challenge and the banishment of Williams, the Traitors were tasked with a murder in plain sight.
—Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 8 Jan. 2026
His daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, have remained in the Windsor dynasty's good graces following Andrew's banishment.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 29 Dec. 2025
Neither Father Burke or Sister Irene realize it at the end of the movie, but Valak evades banishment by possessing Frenchie.
—Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
The autocratic czarist regime ruled with an iron hand and suppressed opposition through censorship, banishment, and executions.
—Karl Ove Knausgaard, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banishment
Noun
-
The fallout led to tit-for-tat expulsions of senior diplomats, disruption of visa services, reduced consular staffing and a freeze on trade talks.—
Ken Moritsugu,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Seldom has a brown person coasted through early eps without the critical gaze of fellow contestants, and eventual groupthink expulsion.—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
A number of Venezuelans who were sent to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador and subsequently returned to Venezuela have tried to challenge their deportations in US courts.—
Flora Charner,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
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An administrative warrant, by contrast, is issued internally by ICE and allows its agents to arrest someone for an immigration violation, such as overstaying a visa or failing to obey a deportation order.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Banishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banishment. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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