English Reference
Noun

expulsion

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ɪkˈspəɫʃən/ UK /ɛkspˈʌlʃən/ ex·pul·sion UK spelling expulsions

n.the act of forcing someone to leave a place or an organization forever. This usually happens because the person did something very wrong, like breaking a school rule or a law.

n.the formal act of forcing someone to leave an institution, such as a school, or a country. Refers to a permanent removal rather than a temporary suspension.


SIMPLE

The student faced expulsion for cheating on the final exam.

CONTEXTUAL

The committee voted for his expulsion from the club after he repeatedly violated the code of conduct.

COMPLEX

The sudden expulsion of foreign diplomats led to a significant breakdown in communication between the two nations, as neither side was willing to negotiate further.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the general process; countable when referring to a specific instance or event.

Pitfall
his expulsion from the school was for two weekshis suspension from the school was for two weeks

Expulsion is permanent; for a temporary removal, the correct term is 'suspension'.

The government aims to transfer 500 girls to mainland Spain, but the PP has demanded the expulsion of all the remaining migrants.

The Local· 20 Aug 2026

The government recently has ordered the expulsion of people near the landfill and safety measures around the site because of a fear of collapses.

Al Jazeera· 23 Aug 2026

From Middle English expulsioun, from Old French expulsion, from Latin expulsio, expulsionem.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin expulsio
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated