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Synonyms

removal

American  
[ri-moo-vuhl] / rɪˈmu vəl /

noun

  • removals
    plural
  1. the act of removing.

  2. change of residence, position, etc.

  3. dismissal, as from an office.


removal British  
/ rɪˈmuːvəl /

noun

  1. the act of removing or state of being removed

    1. a change of residence

    2. ( as modifier )

      a removal company

  2. dismissal from office

  3. the forced displacement of a community for political or social reasons

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of removal

First recorded in 1590–1600; remove + -al 2

Explanation

The word removal is the noun version of the verb to remove. When you "re-move" a sofa, you move it again by getting rid of it. You've seen to its removal. Carpet removal is the specialty of companies that come and take your old rugs away. When someone is asked to step down from a job or position, it's referred to as their removal. And why not? Why is a city council member's removal from office any different from a drunken idiot's removal from a nightclub? Congratulations! You've overseen the removal of the hated chairman of the board. Now we can install a new, truly lovable one in his place.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing removal

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Eurovision said it believed the posts weren't in "the spirit of the competition", and ordered their removal.

From BBC Aug. 14, 2026

Manager Don Kelly insisted that his removal on Tuesday wasn’t injury-related, which might be even more alarming.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 14, 2026

Sheriff’s deputies then help oversee the removal of encampments, and people who refuse to vacate after being offered services could be subject to arrest.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 14, 2026

According to Licence, this interpretation could help resolve a longstanding historical puzzle: why would a pope support the violent removal of an anointed king?

From Science Daily Aug. 11, 2026

For three weeks straight I swallowed my pride and walked into my coach’s office to discuss my removal from the team.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers

But analysts say the removals may be an attempt to erase from public spaces a powerful symbol linked to Suu Kyi, the popular Nobel laureate who remains detained.

From Barron's Jul. 18, 2026

Its logic reaches the labor board, the merit board, and the trade commission and ratifies the removals the court had already waved through at the consumer-product, surface-transportation, and employment agencies.

From Slate Jun. 30, 2026

The U.S. has increased its vetting procedures and ramped up enforcement and removals.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 12, 2026

Dr Mihnea Cuibus, a researcher at The Migration Observatory, said there were many barriers to effectively scaling up migrant removals from the detention centre.

From BBC May 27, 2026

As was common in our removals from prison to prison, we had been started without any rations,—not so much, I presume, from wanton cruelty as because it was no one's especial business to furnish provisions.

From Capturing a Locomotive A History of Secrect Service in the Late War. by William Pittenger

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