excommunicate Definition
- 1to officially exclude someone from participation in the sacraments and services of the Christian Church
- 2to exclude or expel someone from a group or society
Using excommunicate: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "excommunicate" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The church threatened to excommunicate him if he did not repent.
Example
He was excommunicated from the community for his radical beliefs.
Example
The group decided to excommunicate members who violated their rules.
Example
The king was excommunicated by the pope.
excommunicate Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with excommunicate
self-excommunicate
to voluntarily withdraw oneself from the sacraments and services of the Christian Church
Example
He chose to self-excommunicate after disagreeing with the church's teachings.
to be excluded or expelled from a group or society
Example
His criminal record led to his excommunication from society.
a type of excommunication that occurs automatically as a result of certain actions, such as apostasy or heresy
Example
According to church doctrine, anyone who commits apostasy is subject to automatic excommunication.
Origins of excommunicate
from Latin 'excommunicare', meaning 'put out of the community'
Summary: excommunicate in Brief
To 'excommunicate' [ɛkskəˈmyunəˌkeɪt] means to officially exclude someone from the sacraments and services of the Christian Church or to exclude or expel someone from a group or society. It can be voluntary or involuntary, as in 'He was excommunicated from the community for his radical beliefs.' 'Excommunicate' extends into phrases like 'self-excommunicate,' and 'automatic excommunication,' denoting voluntary withdrawal and automatic exclusion, respectively.
