Word
expel
Phoneticsex·pel, stress on the second syllable
US/ɪkˈspɛɫ/
UK/ɛkspˈɛl/
Definitions
01from school or organization
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to officially force someone to leave a school, club, or organization because they did something wrong.
v. to officially exclude a person from membership or attendance in an institution, typically as a disciplinary measure.
Español:expulsar
“The student was expelled from school for cheating on his final exams.”
“The committee voted unanimously to expel the member after discovering he had repeatedly violated the organization's code of ethics.”
02to push out physically
C1 · Advanced Science Technical
v. to force air, water, or gas out of something.
v. to force out or eject a substance from a body, container, or system.
“You should expel all the air from your lungs before you start the next exercise.”
“The engine's exhaust system is designed to expel waste gases efficiently while minimizing noise pollution.”
03from a country
B2 · Upper Intermediate Law Formal
v. to force someone to leave a country, often for political or legal reasons.
v. to force a person, especially a foreign national, to leave a country by official order.
“The government decided to expel the foreign diplomats following the scandal.”
“Authorities may expel individuals who are found to be residing in the country without valid documentation or legal standing.”
Antonyms
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object. When referring to people, it often takes the preposition 'from'.
Pitfall
He was expelled of the school
He was expelled from the school
The verb 'expel' takes the preposition 'from' when indicating the place or group someone is forced to leave.
Real-World Examples
“She said she was then expelled from the school.” “If given the chance, I’d vote for the nimbys of Piddington to be expelled from the UK.” Etymology
Late Middle English: from Latin expellere, from ex- (“out”) + pellere (“to drive”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/expel
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0