eject
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to drive or force out; expel, as from a place or position.
The police ejected the hecklers from the meeting.
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to dismiss, as from office or occupancy.
-
to evict, as from property.
- Synonyms:
- dispossess, oust
-
to throw out, as from within; throw off.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
(tr) to drive or force out; expel or emit
-
(tr) to compel (a person) to leave; evict; dispossess
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(tr) to dismiss, as from office
-
(intr) to leave an aircraft rapidly, using an ejection seat or capsule
-
(tr) psychiatry to attribute (one's own motivations and characteristics) to others
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have ejectedperfect
-
has ejectedperfect 3rd person singular
-
am ejectingprogressive 1st person singular
-
is ejectingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
ejectssingular 3rd person
-
are ejectingprogressive
-
ejectingparticiple
-
has been ejectingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
have been ejectingperfect progressive
Past
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had ejectedperfect
-
was ejectingprogressive singular
-
had been ejectingperfect progressive
-
ejectedparticiple
-
ejectedsimple
-
were ejectingprogressive plural
Future
Etymology
Origin of eject
First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin ējectus “thrown out” (past participle of ējicere ), equivalent to ē- + jec- (combining form of jacere ) “to throw” + -tus past participle suffix; see e- 1
Explanation
It’s good to eject yourself from a burning spaceship (if you happen to have an escape pod and a nice small planet to land on), but if a teacher ejects you from class, well that’s not so good. Eject comes from “jectere,” the Latin word meaning throw, but the “e” means out. If you want to say, “throw the rascals out!” in only one word, you should choose, “eject!” The opposite of eject is inject. Thinking about the nurse throwing the measles vaccine into your arm makes that doctor’s visit seem a little less friendly.
Vocabulary lists containing eject
"There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury (1950)
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Latin Love, Vol II: iacere
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: ject
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To “86” someone is to eject or ban someone, especially from a bar or restaurant.
From Salon • May 8, 2026
Manele has since avoided a vote of confidence, which would eject him and his government from power if he loses.
From Barron's • May 1, 2026
These massive stars spin rapidly and regularly eject material into space.
From Science Daily • Mar. 25, 2026
When he tries to eject her into space, she simply reappears, leaving the crew unsure whether they’re being studied, judged or driven toward madness.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026
If Powers had to eject while in flight, his instructions were first to flip a switch marked ARM and a second switch marked DESTRUCT.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
