BANISH Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'banish' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of banish are deport , exile , and transport . While all these words mean "to remove by authority from a state or country," banish implies compulsory removal from a country not necessarily one's own. // banished for seditious activities

Q: When is it sensible to use 'deport' instead of 'banish'?

The synonyms deport and banish are sometimes interchangeable, but deport implies sending out of the country an alien who has illegally entered or whose presence is judged inimical to the public welfare. // illegal aliens will be deported

Q: When would 'exile' be a good substitute for 'banish'?

Although the words exile and banish have much in common, exile may imply compulsory removal or an enforced or voluntary absence from one's own country. // a writer who exiled himself for political reasons

Q: In what contexts can 'transport' take the place of 'banish'?

In some situations, the words transport and banish are roughly equivalent. However, transport implies sending a convicted criminal to an overseas penal colony. // a convict who was transported to Australia

banish

verb

ˈba-nish

Definition of banish

as in to exile

to force to leave a country in the old days, criminals were sometimes banished to distant lands

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to out

to drive or force out permanently banished the troublemakers from the youth recreational center

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb banish contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of banish are deport, exile, and transport. While all these words mean "to remove by authority from a state or country," banish implies compulsory removal from a country not necessarily one's own.

banished for seditious activities

When is it sensible to use deport instead of banish?

The synonyms deport and banish are sometimes interchangeable, but deport implies sending out of the country an alien who has illegally entered or whose presence is judged inimical to the public welfare.

illegal aliens will be deported

When would exile be a good substitute for banish?

Although the words exile and banish have much in common, exile may imply compulsory removal or an enforced or voluntary absence from one's own country.

a writer who exiled himself for political reasons

In what contexts can transport take the place of banish?

In some situations, the words transport and banish are roughly equivalent. However, transport implies sending a convicted criminal to an overseas penal colony.

a convict who was transported to Australia

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 banish That is why, when Diana falls in love with Lalo, the King simply banishes him. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026 Ransoms were paid, with Carlos taking much of the $50 million himself, leading him to be banished from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. — Air Mail, 1 Aug. 2026 Source vintage lamps and pendants to banish builder-grade light fixtures and furnish your home with character-rich desks and tables. — Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 30 July 2026 Most of us reach for breezy linen pants and flowy maxi dresses during summer, leaving our denim banished to the back of the closet. — Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 26 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for banish

Recent Examples of Synonyms for banish

Verb

Located in Jerusalem, al-Wasiti became, for years, the place to visit, empowering Palestinian artists exiled all over the world to return to a fountain of unity and belonging.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
This thriller centers on disgraced or damaged agents of Britain’s MI6 intelligence service who have been exiled to a remote Greek island.

— Monitor reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of exile

Verb

Co-owner John Mara is battling cancer, and co-owner Steve Tisch is laying low after being outed in the Epstein Files.

— Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 22 Aug. 2026
Then the rest of the game occurred, a 20-12 victory in which Ty Simpson emerged with arguably the best rookie quarterback outing across the league over the weekend.

— Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of out

Verb

On Wednesday, lawyers for Gomez filed a motion to dismiss the artist from the suit, and said she should have never been dragged into the case in the first place.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026
El-Sayed dismissed a potential fundraising gap in the race, which could occur if donors were pushed towards Rogers or if outside groups like AIPAC intervened on Rogers’ behalf.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of dismiss

Verb

Kamin Jan, a former interior ministry employee deported from Iran, was shot dead in Takhar province in October 2025, just weeks after he was expelled from Iran.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 31 Aug. 2026
In short, what companies were taking money from the government to help deport people?

— Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of deport

Verb

Plate umpire Alan Porter tossed Vitello and first-base ump Jim Wolf ejected Webb, who was not pitching Friday.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
Days later, a former NBA player who has used the WNBA as a vehicle for anti-trans advocacy was ejected from a Chicago Sky game, after engaging in an altercation with team guard Natasha Cloud.

— Odette Yousef, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of eject

Verb

Three notices in a year's time and the landlord has the right to evict a tenant.

— John Ramos, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
That’s partly why the British royal family has recently tried to distance themselves from the disgraced ex-prince, to the point that he was stripped of his titles and evicted from his home at Royal Lodge.

— Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of evict

Verb

The North American box office is still chasing the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, and despite a blockbuster summer, ticket sales are still lagging.

— Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
That’s some serious currency for Mahomes to be taking into Season 10 with so much still in front of him — both in terms of years to play, presumably, and goals to chase.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of chase

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bang up

banish

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“Banish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banish. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of banish

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