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, one of the four justices supporting expunction, said the effect of gubernatorial pardons in Mississippi has been diminished.
From Washington Times ● Jan. 25, 2015
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
The judge denied the request, saying state law does not allow expunction of her record.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 19, 2014
This double use of expunction and cancellation is not uncommon in our oldest manuscripts.
From A Sixth-Century Fragment of the Letters of Pliny the Younger A Study of Six Leaves of an Uncial Manuscript Preserved in the Pierpont Morgan Library New York by Lowe, E. A. (Elias Avery)
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.
