banish

[ban-ish]

verb (used with object)

1. to expel from or relegate to a country or place by authoritative decree; condemn to exile.

   He was banished to Devil's Island.

   Synonyms: deport, outlaw, expatriate, exile

2. to compel to depart; send, drive, or put away.

   to banish sorrow.

banish

/ ˈbænɪʃ /

verb

1. to expel from a place, esp by an official decree as a punishment

2. to drive away

   to banish gloom

Other Word Forms

• banisher noun
• banishment noun
• self-banished adjective
• unbanished adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of banish¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English banisshen, from Anglo-French, Old French baniss-, long stem of banir, from unrecorded Frankish bannjan “to proclaim,” akin to ban ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of banish¹

C14: from Old French banir , of Germanic origin; compare Old High German ban

Example Sentences

There was a slight slump when he returned, which he firmly banished with a hat trick in late February.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

If there was ever any doubt that Sabalenka, a 27-year-old from Belarus, was the best hard court player in women’s tennis, her fourth major title on the surface was enough to banish it.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

That is certainly true of the banished song with the provocative title.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

They were outraged that they couldn’t prevent Brazilian authorities from successfully prosecuting Bolsonaro on charges that may send him to prison, and will probably banish him from politics for life.

Read more on Salon

Their experiments showed that a short blast of ultraviolet light killed the microbes and banished the stink.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• dismiss 
• dispel 
• drive away www.thesaurus.com
• eject 
• eliminate 
• eradicate 
• evict 
• exclude 
• exile 
• get rid of 
• isolate 
• ostracize 
• oust 
• outlaw 
• relegate 
• remove