expel

IPA/ɪkˈspel/
KK[ɪkspˈɛl]IPA/ɪkˈspel/

expel — verb

  • expelpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • expelshe / she / it
  • expelledpast simple
  • expelling-ing form

1. to make a person leave an educational institution, an association, or a nation,

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to make a person leave an educational institution, an association, or a nation, usually because they have broken important rules or done something unacceptable

例句

The school board voted to expel Noor after an investigation into the missing chemistry equipment.

passive: be expelled from [school] for [offence]

Vikram was expelled from the military academy when he refused to follow direct orders.

同義詞
  • dismiss

    more general; expel adds the idea of punishment for wrongdoing

  • ban

    focuses on forbidding entry or participation rather than removal

  • oust

    usually about removing someone from a position of power, often through force

  • deport

    specifically about forcing a foreign person to leave a country

反義詞
  • admit

    allow someone to join or enter

  • accept

    welcome someone as a member

文法句型

expel + person + from + institution/place

be expelled + from + institution + for + offence

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive voice (be expelled from). The authority carrying out the expulsion is usually an institution such as a school, government, or club. This sense implies a formal, official decision — unlike 'kick out' which is informal, or 'remove' which does not suggest punishment.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher expelled the student from the classroom for talking.
✅The principal expelled the student from the school for vandalism.
💡Expel means permanent removal from the institution, not temporary removal from a room.
❌He was expelled from the company because of budget cuts.
✅He was laid off from the company because of budget cuts.
💡Expel implies a punishment for breaking rules; lay off is for financial reasons.

2. to drive a substance such as air, gas, or fluid from an enclosed area, a vessel,

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to drive a substance such as air, gas, or fluid from an enclosed area, a vessel, or an organism using pressure

例句

Rachid squeezed the bottle and it expelled a thin stream of water across the table.

expel + [substance] + from + [container]

The whale surfaced and expelled a tall spray of seawater through its blowhole.

同義詞
  • eject

    more sudden or mechanical expulsion, often with force

  • discharge

    more general release of substances, often continuous rather than sudden

  • release

    less forceful, more neutral in tone

反義詞
  • absorb

    take a substance in rather than push it out

  • retain

    keep a substance inside

文法句型

expel + substance + from + container/body/space

用法筆記

Common in scientific, medical, and technical writing. The object is typically a substance (air, gas, liquid, waste) pushed out of a confined space. For ordinary everyday removal of objects, use 'take out' or 'remove' instead of 'expel'.

常見錯誤

❌He expelled the broken toy from the room.
✅He removed the broken toy from the room.
💡Expel is not used for ordinary solid objects that can simply be picked up and taken away.
❌I expelled the bad-tasting water from my mouth.
✅I spat the bad-tasting water out.
💡Expel sounds too formal and technical for a simple everyday action.