removal
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the act of taking something away from a place or person.
the act of taking something away or eliminating it from a specific location or context.
Simple“The removal of the old furniture made the room look much larger.”
In context“The surgical removal of the tumour was successful, and the patient is expected to make a full recovery within the month.”
UsageOften followed by the preposition 'of'.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the process of moving your furniture and belongings to a new home or office.
the relocation of a household or business to a different premises.
Simple“We hired a removal company to help us move our boxes to the new flat.”
In context“The office removal was scheduled for the weekend to ensure that business operations were not disrupted during the working week.”
UsageCommonly used in the compound 'removal van' or 'removal company'.
Teacher's tipIn American English, people almost always say 'moving' or 'the move' instead of 'removal' for this context.
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
the act of forcing someone out of an important job or position.
the formal dismissal or ousting of a person from a position of authority or office.
Simple“The board of directors voted for the removal of the CEO after the scandal.”
In context“The constitutional process for the removal of a sitting judge requires a significant majority in both houses of parliament.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
a ceremony where a coffin is moved to a church the evening before a funeral.
a specific funeral rite involving the transfer of the deceased's remains to a church on the eve of the funeral mass.
Simple“Many friends and neighbours attended the removal to pay their respects to the family.”
In context“The removal took place at seven o'clock, with a large procession following the hearse from the funeral home to the parish church.”
UsageSpecific to Irish English cultural contexts.
Teacher's tipThis is a culturally specific term used in Ireland; learners elsewhere are unlikely to encounter it in daily life.
- 05 C1 Advanced
a secret or slang way to talk about killing someone.
a euphemistic or slang term for the act of killing or assassinating someone.
Simple“The gang leader ordered the removal of his rival to take over the territory.”
In context“In the world of espionage, the term 'removal' is often used as a cold euphemism for state-sanctioned assassination.”
UsageUsed as a euphemism to avoid using the word 'murder'.
Teacher's tipThis sense is often found in crime fiction or political thrillers.
Synonyms
“Eurovision said it believed the posts weren't in "the spirit of the competition", and ordered their removal.”
“Earlier this week another family told how their father, a dementia patient in full-time care, was also threatened with removal after 25 years in Sweden.”
From remove + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.