expel

verb

ex·​pel ik-ˈspel How to pronounce expel (audio)
expelled; expelling

transitive verb

1
: to force out : eject
expelled the smoke from her lungs
2
: to force to leave (a place, an organization, etc.) by official action : take away rights or privileges of membership
was expelled from college
expellable adjective

Did you know?

To expel is to drive out, and its usual noun is expulsion. Expel is similar to eject, but expel suggests pushing out while eject suggests throwing out. Also, ejecting may only be temporary: the player ejected from a game may be back tomorrow, but the student expelled from school is probably out forever.

Choose the Right Synonym for expel

eject, expel, oust, evict mean to drive or force out.

eject carries an especially strong implication of throwing or thrusting out from within as a physical action.

ejected an obnoxious patron from the bar

expel stresses a thrusting out or driving away especially permanently which need not be physical.

a student expelled from college

oust implies removal or dispossession by power of the law or by force or compulsion.

police ousted the squatters

evict chiefly applies to turning out of house and home.

evicted for nonpayment of rent

Examples of expel in a Sentence

The club may expel members who do not follow the rules. She was expelled from school for bad behavior. expel air from the lungs
Recent Examples on the Web Before he was expelled, Debora was taken by the principal to meet a young Jesuit priest at the nearby church who often helped troubled Latino youth in the neighborhood. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024 After Israel’s creation, more Jews were uprooted from Arab and Muslim countries than Arabs expelled from their homes in historic Palestine. Michelle Goldberg, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 Santos was allowed to attend the president's address because former U.S. representatives retain lifetime membership privileges, even after being expelled. Brian Mann, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024 Santos – who was expelled from the House after a litany of flagrant lies and multiple criminal charges – will run against sitting Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y. USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024 The student was not arrested after the attack, but WXIN reported he was expelled from the school. Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2024 Wind is needed to pick the snow up once it's expelled from the snow machines and distribute it evenly across the slopes, but if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction, a large amount of snow may be lost to inaccessible areas. Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 29 Feb. 2024 The government, which is dominated by the Fatah political party, held administrative control over Gaza until 2007, after Hamas won the 2006 legislative elections in the occupied territories and expelled it from the strip. Ibrahim Dahman, CNN, 26 Feb. 2024 Beaumont Abbey’s history The abbey’s foundations date to 1002, and it was used by Benedictine nuns until 1790 when they were expelled at the start of the French Revolution, Blanchard said. Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'expel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English expellen, from Latin expellere, from ex- + pellere to drive — more at felt

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of expel was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near expel

Cite this Entry

“Expel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expel. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

expel

verb
ex·​pel ik-ˈspel How to pronounce expel (audio)
expelled; expelling
1
: to drive or force out
expel air from the lungs
2
: to force to leave usually by official action
expelled from school

More from Merriam-Webster on expel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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