expelled; expelling
Synonyms of expel

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Rather than undertaking the difficult but just and moral work of reform of the nation's immigration laws, Vance would destroy and expel their families with a smile, claiming that such actions will save you money. — Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026 Cornell University would not confirm whether Newell was expelled, citing federal statutes protecting students’ privacy. — Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 According to an article in the Bangor Daily News, species like bass have the ability to expel soft plastics that are swallowed, while salmonids do not. — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026 While Cornell did conduct an internal investigation, and expelled or suspended several of the men, no criminal charges were brought against the accused at the time. — Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for expel

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Expel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expel. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

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
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