excommunicate

Definition of excommunicatenext
as in to banish
to not allow (someone) to continue being a member of a group and especially the Roman Catholic church He was excommunicated from the church for his radical practices.

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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 excommunicate Vatican decree targeted bishops and faithful In a decree, the Vatican excommunicated the four new bishops and the two existing SSPX bishops who participated in the ceremony. — Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026 In a decree, the Vatican excommunicated the four new bishops and the two bishops who participated in the ceremony. — ABC News, 2 July 2026 The July 2 decree said the two bishops leading the unauthorized ordination, held in Switzerland on July 1, had been excommunicated, along with the four priests who had become new bishops, which was widely expected. — Joshua McElwee, USA Today, 2 July 2026 The Vatican responded by excommunicating Lefebvre and the newly ordained bishops, though those excommunications were lifted in 2009 as part of an effort to restore relations. — Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for excommunicate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excommunicate
Verb
  • Shortly after King Charles stripped him of his titles and banished him from his home at Royal Lodge, he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in office.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Drake Baldwin banished any fears of a sophomore slump by having his first All-Star season.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The celebrity kingmaker had finally been officially exiled from the royal court.
    — Lindsey Weber, Vanity Fair, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Conversely, what appeared to be an inappropriate relationship with an NFL coach might have doomed Diana Russini’s career at The Athletic, but doesn’t appear likely to exile her from the industry.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Alternatively, the court could order that materials from the search be excluded from any case against him, and in the extreme, could award Mountbatten-Windsor compensation and a police apology.
    — Will Barker, TheWeek, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Foreigners employed in the country, excluding domestic workers, fell by 16,000 in the three months to June, driven by a drop in construction jobs, according to the government’s quarterly report.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The seven Chi Phi members in question were expelled or suspended, but some of them were allowed to continue their education at the university following a monthslong Title IX investigation.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 2 Oct. 2026
  • So, data-processing satellites built to house AI computing will likely need massive radiators to expel heat away from their inner processing chips.
    — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Having those moments of vulnerability are the things that keep the audience engaged with him and don’t ostracize him out of the piece.
    — Lisa de los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
  • While she was never found guilty of a crime, she was ostracized from society more than ever before.
    — Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Perdomo Torres was ejected from the van and thrown to the ground, breaking his leg, ankle and hand.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Smith, who was riding in the left lane, was ejected from the bike and hit the pavement, suffering severe injuries, according to police.
    — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Tinubu was not criminally charged, and the case was dismissed with prejudice after the money was forfeited.
    — Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • After a Washtenaw County Court judge dismissed the suit, Shriver refiled the FOIA case in Michigan’s Court of Claims last month.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Excommunicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excommunicate. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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