banish

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb banish contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of banish are deport, exile, and transport. While all these words mean "to remove by authority from a state or country," banish implies compulsory removal from a country not necessarily one's own.

banished for seditious activities

When is it sensible to use deport instead of banish?

The synonyms deport and banish are sometimes interchangeable, but deport implies sending out of the country an alien who has illegally entered or whose presence is judged inimical to the public welfare.

illegal aliens will be deported

When would exile be a good substitute for banish?

Although the words exile and banish have much in common, exile may imply compulsory removal or an enforced or voluntary absence from one's own country.

a writer who exiled himself for political reasons

In what contexts can transport take the place of banish?

In some situations, the words transport and banish are roughly equivalent. However, transport implies sending a convicted criminal to an overseas penal colony.

a convict who was transported to Australia

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of banish Image With his father unable to perform in the United States and effectively banished to Europe, the younger Mr. White turned to the stage and screen. Clay Risen, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025 Inhumans does not exactly seem like MCU canon as it has more or less been banished from existence, despite attachment to Agents of SHIELD, outside of a brief cameo in Multiverse of Madness for Anson Mount’s Black Bolt (who was promptly murdered). Paul Tassi, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025 To banish household odors, create natural room scents, carpet powders, reed diffusers, and plug-in refills. Linley Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Jan. 2025 The 2020 campaign, which effectively fell apart in Week 2 on a mushy, injury-inducing MetLife Stadium playing surface and which ended for good with the 49ers banished to Glendale, Ariz., due to COVID-19 rules, probably earns that title. Matt Barrows, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for banish 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banish
Verb
  • Around 70 are being exiled abroad as part of the agreement and will not be allowed to return to their homes in the West Bank and Jerusalem, according to a list provided by the Palestinian authorities.
    Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025
  • Any person, anywhere in the world can feel exiled in some way.
    Ben Croll, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • He’s had at least 70 yards in 14 consecutive postseason games — averaging 99.1 yards per outing over that stretch.
    Jeff Howe, The Athletic, 19 Jan. 2025
  • Wiener’s office cited the case of a transgender woman in Stanislaus County who successfully sued to have her court records made private after she was forcibly outed on social media and at work by anonymous internet trolls , as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
    Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Will seaweed become a dominant new ingredient, or be permanently relegated to side dish status?
    Heide Brandes, thehustle.co, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Finding Angela’s look took longer, partly because she’s relegated to FaceTime appearances for the first three episodes.
    Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • King’s request to dismiss the federal agencies also said U.S. District Courts have jurisdiction on Freedom of Information Act requests in civil matters, as well as the claims alleging the State Department was negligent.
    Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 24 Jan. 2025
  • What’s more, tech companies have hired workers in growing areas such as AI while at the same time dismissing workers in less-promising sectors.
    George Avalos, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Deportations One of Trump’s most prominent campaign planks was the promise to deport millions of immigrants living in the country without authorization.
    Mike Lillis, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Chief among will be declaring a national emergency to expedite his promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The crash occurred when the woman heading eastbound on South Brookville Drive near Hall Meadow Road drove onto the sidewalk on a curve and struck a tree, causing the vehicle to overturn and ejecting her, according to San Diego police.
    Gary Warth, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Jan. 2025
  • The other death was of a driver who hydroplaned while traveling along U.S. Highway 231 in Ozark and was ejected from the vehicle.
    NBC News, NBC News, 22 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Its owners were evicted in 2019 so the building could be razed for future development, The Charlotte Observer reported at the time.
    Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 15 Jan. 2025
  • The landlord evicted the TGI Fridays franchisee, Orlando Restaurants Inc., in October for nonpayment around the same time the chain’s parent company filed for Chapter 11 reorganization.
    Laura Kinsler, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Icons glitter, shimmy, bounce, and in other ways evade the chasing eye.
    Joel Khalili, WIRED, 15 Jan. 2025
  • Sheriff’s deputies and Volusia County Animal Services officers chased and captured the dogs, who were then confiscated and are being held in quarantine, the statement said.
    Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 15 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near banish

Cite this Entry

“Banish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banish. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on banish

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