Meaning & use

banishment

noun·Academic

The act of being officially sent away from a place, especially as a punishment.

See it in a sentence

The traitor's punishment was banishment from his homeland rather than imprisonment or death.

Centuries ago, banishment was a common punishment for political rivals of the king.

A note on using this word

Banishment historically referred to formal exile ordered by a ruler or court, though it can now describe informal exclusion too.

Words with a similar meaning

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