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

Example 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 Brown fouled out with 2:50 left in the third quarter, banished to the Phantom Zone, hanging up his cape with 20 points on 8-for-20 shooting. C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025 Honestly, whoever designed this mind-numbing, incomprehensible plan should be banished to an island where they will hopefully be devoured by wildlife. Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 May 2025 After her run as a handmaid (when women are forced to produce children for the elite ruling families of Gilead) and having her baby taken away, Janine was banished to the world’s wasteland called the Colonies. Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2025 City leaders therefore decided to banish the zero and rely on the tried and tested Roman numerals. Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for banish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banish
Verb
  • The original Tulsa King stars Stallone as a New York mobster who is exiled to Oklahoma and builds up his own new crime empire.
    James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 5 June 2025
  • The show follows Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Inspector, Donny ‘Fitz’ Fitzpatrick, who digs too deeply into a local politician’s nefarious activity, and is exiled to work in Saint-Pierre et Miquelon.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • For years, a mysterious figure who goes by the handle Stern led the Trickbot ransomware gang and evaded identification—even as other members of the group were outed in leaks and unmasked.
    Andy Greenberg, Wired News, 30 May 2025
  • Eddie's real parentage is revealed, Maeve is outed, Kevin catches up with Rusby, Bella brokers her deal, and Alice attends an awkward Harrigan dinner.
    Matt Cabral, EW.com, 26 May 2025
Verb
  • This relegated him to being an 82-game player rather than a 16-game one, which limited his value to prospective teams.
    Mat Issa, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • Sourcing in this mode is even less robust; Google relegates sources to clickable carets that don’t highlight the relevant portions of its response.
    Ruben Circelli, PC Magazine, 5 June 2025
Verb
  • Congressional Republicans, many of whom had also grown annoyed with Musk over the last few months, have largely dismissed the billionaire’s fiery opposition to the bill.
    Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 6 June 2025
  • For example, recent reports about the potential for automotive production to be curtailed due to rare earth mineral shortages should not be dismissed.
    Zev Fima, CNBC, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Graham pointed to what Ukrainian officials and Yale researchers estimate are nearly 20,000 children forcibly deported to Russia -- calling their return a matter of justice, not diplomacy.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 June 2025
  • Columnist Steve Lopez asks: If people taking care of our elders get deported, will anyone take their place?
    Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
Verb
  • He was ejected from 10 games in 1898 and was arrested in the offseason for killing a mule that belonged to a farmer.
    Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
  • The Subaru then rolled over and struck a light pole, ejecting him from the vehicle.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • The officer told Dean that, under North Carolina law, the woman was a resident at the hotel and would need to be evicted to be forced to leave.
    Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 27 May 2025
  • One article from a respected legacy publication just last year centered on how to get your neighbor evicted for smelling like weed.
    Lindsey Bartlett, Rolling Stone, 27 May 2025
Verb
  • Redefining What Success Looks Like Instead of chasing traditional business blueprints rooted in overwork and hustle, many Black women are carving out a new model—one that centers sustainability, wellness, and self-preservation.
    Jasmine Browley, Essence, 28 May 2025
  • Chalamet’s team can’t be in the business of chasing past miracles.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 27 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Banish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banish. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on banish

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