expel
verb (used with object)
to drive or force out or away; discharge or eject.
was expelling
-
past progressiveof expel.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
In a statement released on X on Tuesday, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi said the government was expelling Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Shibani and declared him persona non grata.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 24, 2026
Russia's FSB security service named the man it was expelling as Gareth Samuel Davies -- listed on Moscow's official database of accredited diplomats as the embassy's second secretary.
From Barron's ● Jan. 15, 2026
Five months later, North Korea announced it was expelling Lowrance who had entered the country illegally through China in October.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 19, 2023
Austria said on Feb. 2 it was expelling four Russian diplomats for behaving in a manner inconsistent with international agreements, a reason often invoked in spying cases, without giving specifics.
From Reuters ● Feb. 16, 2023
The peace of the evening was expelling it, but another dread visitor was heralded in.
From A Bed of Roses by Walter Lionel George
