eviction

American  

[ih-vik-shuhn] / ɪˈvɪk ʃən /

noun

• evictions
  plural

1. the act of forcing a tenant, or sometimes a squatter, to vacate a property (often used attributively).

   A local mother and her two daughters were given a court-ordered eviction, with four days to leave their apartment.

   When the rent got far enough behind, the landlord finally sent the tenants an eviction notice.

2. the act of forcing someone to leave; expulsion.

   He is facing potential eviction from the Senate for failure to pay the costs of his unsuccessful legal battle.

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Usage

What is an eviction moratorium? An eviction moratorium is an order that prohibits, under certain circumstances, landlords and property owners from evicting tenants, typically for not paying rent. In 2020, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an eviction moratorium during the COVID-19 pandemic. The order was intended to prevent people from losing a place to stay due to inability to pay rent upon losing income—ultimately to prevent further spread of the virus. The CDC’s moratorium did not release tenants from their requirement to pay rent and did not prohibit eviction for reasons beyond failure to pay rent, such as criminal activity. The first CDC moratorium was issued on September 4, 2020, and was extended multiple times before expiring on July 31, 2021. At the time of its expiration, searches on Dictionary.com for the words eviction and moratorium increased. On August 3, 2021, the CDC issued another eviction moratorium in response to a rise in cases related to the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus. The second moratorium was narrower, only applying to counties with significantly high rates of COVID-19 infections. It was set to be in effect until October 3, 2021.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• noneviction
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• evictions
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of eviction

First recorded in 1450–1500, for an earlier sense; from Latin ēvictiōn-, stem of ēvictiō “recovery of one's property by law,” from ēvincere “to overcome, conquer”; see evict ( def. ), -ion ( def. )

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Explanation

An eviction is when a renter or tenant is forced to move out by a property owner. If you don't pay rent for months, you run the risk of eviction. It's most often a landlord who brings an eviction against someone who's renting an apartment or house. In most states, an eviction follows some kind of legal action — the landlord usually has to prove that the tenant hasn't paid rent or isn't following the terms of the lease. The Late Latin root of the word eviction is evictionem, "recovery of property by judicial decision."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

eviction evictions

Bass has also used the Mayor’s Fund, a charity fund that the mayor can use to tackle issues around the city, to address homelessness and eviction protection.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

Six unsuccessful eviction attempts followed as Abascal spoke publicly of her plight and in defense of other vulnerable tenants.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

The uproar at her eviction triggered national demonstrations, with hundreds of people camping in central Madrid's Puerta del Sol square in the most symbolic protest.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

Abascal became a symbol for Spain's housing crisis following her eviction.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

My part in the eviction was kept very much alive, and although I was under orders to make no speeches, I had grown accustomed to being introduced as a kind of hero.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

The Spanish government earlier this week introduced a series of measures aimed at tackling the crisis, including extending a ban on evictions and providing tax breaks for tenants and small property owners.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

Thousands of people marched through the streets of Madrid rattling keys and blowing whistles to call for measures to curb rising housing costs and make evictions more difficult.

From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026

The lesson: Stick to the rulebook on evictions, and good luck with the house sale.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026

Section 21 "no-fault" evictions, where tenants can be evicted without giving a reason, are widely regarded as a key driver of homelessness, and were banned from May 2026.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

"Brother, are we still to fight against evictions?"

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

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Related Words

• dispossession
• ejection
• expulsion
• ouster
• removal

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