expel

[ik-spel]

verb (used with object)

expelled, expelling 

1. to drive or force out or away; discharge or eject.

   to expel air from the lungs; to expel an invader from a country.

2. to cut off from membership or relations.

   to expel a student from a college.

   Synonyms: excommunicate, exile, dismiss, oust

expel

/ ˌɛkspɛˈliː, ɪkˈspɛl /

verb

1. to eject or drive out with force

2. to deprive of participation in or membership of a school, club, etc

Other Word Forms

• expellee noun
• expeller noun
• expellable adjective
• reexpel verb (used with object)
• unexpellable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of expel¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English expellen, from Latin expellere “to drive out, drive away,” equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ + pellere “to push, drive”

Word History and Origins

Origin of expel¹

C14: from Latin expellere to drive out, from pellere to thrust, drive

Example Sentences

He expelled French troops, and brought in mercenaries from Russia's Wagner group, which is under Moscow's defence ministry.

Read more on BBC

The following week the regime expelled her from the Assembly.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Several African countries - Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda and South Sudan - have all accepted people from third countries expelled from the US in recent months.

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Roman will have the resolution, sensitivity and infrared wavelength coverage to see these stars and potentially witness their variability as they expel out large quantities of dust near the end of their lives.

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The relationship dates to the 1990s, when Qatar’s former emir offered Hamas members sanctuary after they were expelled from Jordan.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• ban 
• banish 
• bar 
• dismiss 
• displace 
• eject 
• evict 
• exile 
• oust