evict

[ih-vikt]

verb (used with object)

1. to expel (a person, especially a tenant) from land, a building, etc., by legal process, as for nonpayment of rent.

   Synonyms: dislodge, dispossess, remove, eject

2. to throw or force out, as from a place, organization, or position.

   He was evicted from office by a populist revolution.

3. to recover (property, titles, etc.) by virtue of superior legal title.

evict

/ ɪˈvɪkt /

verb

1. to expel (a tenant) from property by process of law; turn out

2. to recover (property or the title to property) by judicial process or by virtue of a superior title

Other Word Forms

• eviction noun
• evictor noun
• reevict verb (used with object)
• unevicted adjective
• evictee noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of evict¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English evicten, from Late Latin ēvictus “having recovered one's property by law,” Latin: past participle of ēvincere “to overcome, conquer, evince,” equivalent to ē- “from, out of; thoroughly” + vic- (past participle stem of vincere “to conquer”) + -tus past participle suffix; evince, e- ¹, victor

Word History and Origins

Origin of evict¹

C15: from Late Latin ēvincere, from Latin: to vanquish utterly, from vincere to conquer

Example Sentences

Under eviction moratoriums, tenants who can prove they are affected by the ongoing state of emergency cannot be evicted for unpaid rent, but they still owe back rent once the moratorium expires.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

On Wednesday, they were banned from moving back to private land they had already been evicted from.

Read more on BBC

Among investors’ concerns are public policies such as the United to House Los Angeles transfer tax on large real estate sales, and also temporary limits on evicting tenants that were enacted during the pandemic.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Scottish Borders Council began legal action to evict them after establishing that the new camp was on land owned by the local authority.

Read more on BBC

The move is "welcome news" for Ms Johnson, who was evicted with her teenage son from their rental property in 2020 in the middle of the Covid pandemic.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• chase 
• dislodge 
• dismiss 
• dispossess 
• eject 
• expel 
• force out 
• oust 
• remove