What does expulse mean?
Expulse is a verb that means to force someone or something out of a place or position. It can be used in formal or official contexts, such as in politics or business, or in more general contexts to describe the act of forcing someone or something out. Expulse is often used interchangeably with expel, but expulse tends to imply a more formal or official context. The word has been in use since the 15th century and is derived from the Latin word 'expellere', which means 'to drive out'. In modern usage, expulse is often used to describe the act of removing or excluding someone or something from a place or position, such as a government expelling a foreign diplomat or a company being expelled from an industry. The word has a strong connotation of force or violence, and is often used in contexts where the act of removal or exclusion is seen as necessary or justified.
To force someone or something out of a place or position.
"The government was forced to expel the foreign diplomat from the country."
Expulse is typically used in formal or official contexts, such as in politics or business.
To remove or exclude something from a place or position.
"The company was expelled from the industry due to its unethical practices."
Expulse can also be used in more general contexts to describe the act of removing or excluding someone or something from a place or position.
The plural form of expulse is used to describe the act of removing or excluding multiple people or things from a place or position.
"The government was forced to expel multiple foreign diplomats from the country."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of expulse
The word expulse is derived from the Latin word 'expellere', which means 'to drive out'. This Latin word is itself derived from the prefix 'ex-' meaning 'out' and the verb 'pellere' meaning 'to drive'. The word expulse has been in use in the English language since the 15th century, and has been used in a variety of contexts to describe the act of forcing someone or something out of a place or position.
How expulse is actually used
Expulse is typically used in formal or official contexts, such as in politics or business. It can also be used in more general contexts to describe the act of forcing someone or something out of a place or position. Note that expulse is often used interchangeably with expel, but expulse tends to imply a more formal or official context.