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

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

A number of Agalega’s residents are from families scarred by eviction from the Chagos Islands, 2,000km to the east, after the UK government declared them in 1965 to be British territory and granted the US permission to build a communications station on the largest island, Diego Garcia.

From BBC

Poverty puts parents under constant duress, as they fear eviction; hunger; having the lights, telephone or heat shut off; or losing income or their job if they stay home with a sick child.

From Salon

Progressives at the time cast some of the blame on Hochul for opposing the inclusion of "good cause" eviction, which would give tenants the ability to challenge rent hikes in court, and missing a chance to form a broader coalition around her proposal.

From Salon

Related Words

• dispossession
• ejection
• expulsion
• ouster
• removal