evict

American  

[ih-vikt] / ɪˈvɪkt /

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.

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evict British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of evict

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

Example Sentences

If this were a tenant whom you didn’t know, you would evict them and pull your hair out over how anyone could feel so entitled as to take something for nothing.

From MarketWatch

Under-16s and parents are divided over the merits of evicting youth from their online lives.

From The Wall Street Journal

But now “when we get to eviction, the debts are so high that they can’t resolve those debts and they do get evicted,” Ms. Black said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Clinic owner Diana Derzis, who declined to comment on the hearing, previously stated that she hopes to keep the clinic in the city, even if they are evicted.

From BBC

We got an apartment but soon couldn’t pay rent and were evicted.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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