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

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. )

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

And now a warning: “Self-help eviction is illegal throughout New York,” Sirianni writes.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026

Before the rules changed, Eve Williamson had to give up her American Bulldog, Khan, or face eviction from her home - despite having previously had a dog in the property.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

If he had amassed the same number of records, skateboard decks or vintage gaming consoles — all fire hazards — would he have gotten the same eviction warning?

From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026

Club members and staff have filed multiple legal petitions, arguing that the government must follow the statutory eviction process.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

Outside, the audience had begun to drone; a distant, churning sound that brought back some of the terror of the eviction.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

It has registered that in 2026, about 3,800 Palestinians have been displaced due to settler violence, demolitions and evictions - nearly half of them children.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

These evictions crushed their belongings and their humanity.

From Slate ● Jun. 27, 2026

The city is also launching a $5 million loan program for landlords to help pay tenants’ overdue rent and avoid evictions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026

It documents 55,018 illegal evictions, 38,876 illegal rent increases, 32,015 complaints about a reduction of services and 24,179 harassment cases.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026

The committee could not stop the evictions, but they did attempt to assist renters with small cash advances.

From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy

Related Words

• dispossession
• ejection
• expulsion
• ouster
• removal