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Synonyms

removal

American  
[ri-moo-vuhl] / rɪˈmu vəl /

noun

removals plural
  1. the act of removing.

  2. change of residence, position, etc.

  3. dismissal, as from an office.


removal British  
/ rɪˈmuːvəl /

noun

  1. the act of removing or state of being removed

    1. a change of residence

    2. ( as modifier )

      a removal company

  2. dismissal from office

  3. the forced displacement of a community for political or social reasons

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of removal

First recorded in 1590–1600; remove + -al 2

Explanation

The word removal is the noun version of the verb to remove. When you "re-move" a sofa, you move it again by getting rid of it. You've seen to its removal. Carpet removal is the specialty of companies that come and take your old rugs away. When someone is asked to step down from a job or position, it's referred to as their removal. And why not? Why is a city council member's removal from office any different from a drunken idiot's removal from a nightclub? Congratulations! You've overseen the removal of the hated chairman of the board. Now we can install a new, truly lovable one in his place.

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Vocabulary lists containing removal

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.

Removal man Valentin Fernandez told AFP he was having a "rotten time" trucking furniture and boxes in Madrid, where the temperature reached 38C.

From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026

The proposed Inglewood Fair Share Admissions Tax Tier Reform and Cap Removal Initiative, funded by WOW media, would eliminate those caps and restructure how venues are taxed.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

Roksana Lecka is banned for life from returning to the UK following her deportation under the Early Removal Scheme.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

The group's findings appear in a new report, "Monitoring, Reporting and Verification for Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal," released during COP30, the UN climate conference now taking place in Brazil.

From Science Daily • Nov. 20, 2025

I don’t know what a Voluntary Removal is, but all I can think is that there’s a mistake.

From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon

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