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as in to exhale
to let or force out of the lungs asked the patient to expel a deep breath

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb expel contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of expel are eject, evict, and oust. While all these words mean "to drive or force out," expel stresses a thrusting out or driving away especially permanently which need not be physical.

a student expelled from college

When would eject be a good substitute for expel?

While the synonyms eject and expel are close in meaning, eject carries an especially strong implication of throwing or thrusting out from within as a physical action.

ejected an obnoxious patron from the bar

When could evict be used to replace expel?

The words evict and expel are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, evict chiefly applies to turning out of house and home.

evicted for nonpayment of rent

When is it sensible to use oust instead of expel?

While in some cases nearly identical to expel, oust implies removal or dispossession by power of the law or by force or compulsion.

police ousted the squatters

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of expel Almost all Democrats and 105 Republicans backed the successful effort, making the congressman only the sixth in United States history to be expelled from the House of Representatives. Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025 Terrell represented a Black teenager who’d been expelled from a Los Angeles high school for punching a white referee during a football game after the referee allegedly had directed racial epithets at him. Peter Elkind, ProPublica, 27 Aug. 2025 Canberra expelled Tehran’s ambassador after accusing Iran of masterminding at least two antisemitic attacks on Australian soil. Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2025 Xinis, who has been dealing with the case for nearly five months, on Monday temporarily barred the government from expelling Abrego Garcia, who is being held in Virginia. Kristina Karisch, The Hill, 26 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for expel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expel
Verb
  • Booker, of course, didn’t get that opportunity in the opener after Carter was ejected before the first play for spitting on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
    Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2025
  • After the opening kickoff against the Cowboys, a flag was thrown by the officials and Carter was ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct just six seconds into the new season.
    Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Nationwide, over 30% of votes were cast in the 2024 presidential election through mail-in ballots, according to the United States Election Assistance Commission.
    Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Then, in June, Lyles cast the tiebreaking vote deciding not to study ways to improve working conditions for airport employees.
    Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Bovino relies on Border Patrol SWAT-style teams to avoid the chaos that erupted during an hourslong standoff at a Home Depot in Paramount on June 7.
    Elliot Spagat, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
  • As levees erupted, storm waters easily flowed in.
    Suzette Hackney, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Hold each other’s hands and inhale slowly for 4 seconds, hold for 7 and exhale for 8 seconds together.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Whatever irrigates the imagination and allows the soul to exhale.
    James Parker, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Sports piracy has become so widespread that even professional athletes, like Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James (who was spotted using Streameast in May 2024) and Seattle Seahawks' Tariq Woolen, have been outed as users.
    Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The star linebacker then made a spectacle of his final preseason outing with the team.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Gynecological Conditions Problems in the female reproductive organs can cause radiating pain to the lower right back.
    Brandi Jones, Health, 6 Sep. 2025
  • How to change a system with a prototype Walton and Makhija’s ambitions start locally, but quickly radiate outwards.
    Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The collapse featured 11 penalties, the most notable of which coming on USF’s final drive when defensive tackle Brendan Bett spit on a USF player.
    Noah White, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The generator spits out new images, or data pieces, in whatever format the project involves.
    John Werner, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • This tension is only underlined by the filmmakers’ insistence on using pictures of the real Warrens and their demon-banishing clients in the credits of most Conjuring-verse movies.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
  • This blemish-banishing formula includes witch hazel, algae extract, and grape seed extract, plus vitamin E to keep pores looking tight, rein in excess sebum, and shield skin from free radicals.
    Esme Benjamin, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Expel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expel. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

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