eviction

[ ih-vik-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of forcing a tenant, or sometimes a squatter, to vacate a property (often used attributively):

   A local mother and her two daughters were given a court-ordered eviction, with four days to leave their apartment.

   When the rent got far enough behind, the landlord finally sent the tenants an eviction notice.

2. the act of forcing someone to leave; expulsion:

   He is facing potential eviction from the Senate for failure to pay the costs of his unsuccessful legal battle.

Other Words From

• non·e·vic·tion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of eviction¹

First recorded in 1450–1500, for an earlier sense; from Latin ēvictiōn-, stem of ēvictiō “recovery of one's property by law,” from ēvincere “to overcome, conquer”; evict ( def ), -ion ( def )

Example Sentences

When Morgan Davies and Ellie Bryan from Liverpool found themselves facing a no-fault eviction, the costs of moving saw them fall behind on their bills.

From BBC

The city worked to relocate Section 14 residents and ensure they would have housing following their impending evictions but, as one city document notes, not all efforts were successful.

From Los Angeles Times

Measure A also funds eviction defense, which can help more people win or settle cases and stay housed.

From Los Angeles Times

James Bond star Daniel Craig gave a community hub previously at risk of eviction £50,000 to help keep it in its current home.

From BBC

But they are slowly recovering their mojo after their pool-stage eviction from last year's Rugby World Cup.

From BBC

Related Words

• dispossession
• ejection
• expulsion
• ouster
• removal

More About Eviction Moratorium

What is an eviction moratorium?

An eviction moratorium is an order that prohibits, under certain circumstances, landlords and property owners from evicting tenants, typically for not paying rent.

In 2020, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an eviction moratorium during the COVID-19 pandemic. The order was intended to prevent people from losing a place to stay due to inability to pay rent upon losing income—ultimately to prevent further spread of the virus. The CDC’s moratorium did not release tenants from their requirement to pay rent and did not prohibit eviction for reasons beyond failure to pay rent, such as criminal activity.

The first CDC moratorium was issued on September 4, 2020, and was extended multiple times before expiring on July 31, 2021. At the time of its expiration, searches on Dictionary.com for the words eviction and moratorium increased.

On August 3, 2021, the CDC issued another eviction moratorium in response to a rise in cases related to the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus. The second moratorium was narrower, only applying to counties with significantly high rates of COVID-19 infections. It was set to be in effect until October 3, 2021.