expunction
Americannoun
Usage
What does expunction mean? Expunction is the act or process of expunging something—erasing, deleting, crossing out, or destroying it. Expunction is especially used in the context of law, in which it refers to the removal of an arrest or conviction from a person’s public criminal record. Expunction can also be called expungement. Example: Many criminal justice reform advocates support the law, which would allow for the expunction of some misdemeanors from criminal records.
Etymology
Origin of expunction
1600–10; < Late Latin expūnctiōn- (stem of expūnctiō ) a blotting out, equivalent to Latin expūnct ( us ) blotted out (past participle of expungere to expunge ) + -iōn- -ion
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.
Justice James Kitchens, in a dissent, argued that there are state and federal court decisions that support a determination that a pardon renders a conviction moot and mandates expunction.
From Washington Times • Dec. 14, 2014
Special Assistant Attorney General Lisa Blount said in a response that several laws provide for expunction of criminal records under limited circumstances.
From Washington Times • Dec. 14, 2014
Justice Leslie King said there is no state law that allows for an expunction after a criminal defendant receives an executive pardon.
From Washington Times • Dec. 14, 2014
The judge denied the request, saying state law does not allow expunction of her record.
From Washington Times • Jul. 19, 2014
By this process the essence of two or more old comedies is extracted; their characters and plots amalgamated; and the whole “rectified” by the careful expunction of equivocal passages.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, November 27, 1841 by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
