disbar

American

[dis-bahr] / dɪsˈbɑr /

verb (used with object)

disbarred, disbarring

to expel from the legal profession or from the bar of a particular court.

Synonyms:

exclude, suspend, debar

disbar British

/ dɪsˈbɑː /

verb

to deprive of the status of barrister; expel from the Bar

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

Disbar is sometimes wrongly used where debar is meant: he was debarred (not disbarred ) from attending meetings

Other Word Forms

disbarment noun
undisbarred adjective

Etymology

Origin of disbar

First recorded in 1625–35; dis- ¹ + bar ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In addition to courts penalizing attorneys for inappropriate filings, bar association disciplinary authorities in multiple states have initiated proceedings to suspend or disbar those attorneys from practicing law in their jurisdictions.

From Salon • Jun. 4, 2024

Maryland’s highest court unanimously voted to disbar Cassilly in 2021.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 5, 2023

“The plan was to disbar me so I wouldn’t be relevant, and that by and large happened,” he says.

From The Verge • Mar. 10, 2022

Avenatti’s law license is suspended while the state seeks to disbar him, but he nonetheless has been representing himself.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 24, 2021

"I'll disbar that man if it's the last act of my life!"

From The Gray Dawn by White, Stewart Edward

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023