excommunicate — English Dictionary

Verb

1. To officially exclude someone from membership of a church or religious community.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Examples

   More examples (2)

   “Perhaps it is because I have been excommunicated. It’s absurd, but I feel like the Jackdaw of Rheims.” ¶ She winced and bowed her head. Each time that he spoke flippantly of the Church he caused her pain.

   The Vatican has excommunicated a rebel group of ultra-conservative Catholics who defied Pope Leo by ordaining bishops without his consent, creating a schism in the Roman Catholic church. […] “The Vatican hopes that by being harsh on the bishops, the priests and faithful, maybe some of them will repent and turn back to mother church. Because it’s not nice to be excommunicated.”

2. To exclude from any other group; to banish.

   Usage

   • Figurative
   • Historical
   • Transitive

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   Samois includes celebate ^([sic]), heterosexual and bisexual women as well as lesbians, and I feel very strongly that this is the wisest choice. Our community is so fragile that we can't afford to fragment it by excommunicating non-lesbian women.

   Although our Macs served us well, in those early, dark years Macintosh users were effectively excommunicated by the computer establishment.

Adjective

1. Excommunicated.

   Usage

   • Archaic
   • not-comparable

   Examples

   […]the iewes had conſpyred allredy that yff eny man did confeſſe that he was Chriſt / he ſhulde be excommunicat out of the Sinagoge.

   Thou ſhalt ſtand curſt, and excommunicate[…]

Noun

1. An excommunicated person.

   Synonyms

   excommunicantexcommunicatee

Verb

1. exclude from a church or a religious community

   Synonyms

   unchurchcurse

   Antonyms

   communicate

   Broader terms

   excludekeep outshut outshut

   Examples

   The gay priest was excommunicated when he married his partner

2. oust or exclude from a group or membership by decree

   Broader terms

   oustthrow outdrum outboot outkick outexpel