EXILE Synonyms: 70 Similar and Opposite Words

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

Some common synonyms of exile are banish , deport , and transport . While all these words mean "to remove by authority from a state or country," 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: When would 'banish' be a good substitute for 'exile'?

The synonyms banish and exile are sometimes interchangeable, but banish implies compulsory removal from a country not necessarily one's own. // banished for seditious activities

Q: When is 'deport' a more appropriate choice than 'exile'?

Although the words deport and exile have much in common, 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 might 'transport' be a better fit than 'exile'?

The words transport and exile can be used in similar contexts, but transport implies sending a convicted criminal to an overseas penal colony. // a convict who was transported to Australia

exile 1 of 2

noun

ˈeg-ˌzī(-ə)l

Definition of exile

as in expulsion

the forced removal from a homeland the exile of French settlers from Nova Scotia resulted in the birth of the Cajun community in the U.S.

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in refugee

a person forced to emigrate for political reasons after being overthrown in a coup, the dictator spent the remainder of his life as an exile in a string of less-than-welcoming countries

Synonyms & Similar Words

exile

2 of 2

verb

as in to banish

to force to leave a country with their conquest of the Moors complete, Ferdinand and Isabella next exiled the Jews from Spain

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How does the verb exile contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of exile are banish, deport, and transport. While all these words mean "to remove by authority from a state or country," exile may imply compulsory removal or an enforced or voluntary absence from one's own country.

a writer who exiled himself for political reasons

When would banish be a good substitute for exile?

The synonyms banish and exile are sometimes interchangeable, but banish implies compulsory removal from a country not necessarily one's own.

banished for seditious activities

When is deport a more appropriate choice than exile?

Although the words deport and exile have much in common, 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 might transport be a better fit than exile?

The words transport and exile can be used in similar contexts, but 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 exile

Noun

Along with this came the profound dread that straight white men (like me) felt about saying a single wrong sentence and facing the possibility of permanent exile without forgiveness. — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026 Exile and resilience Hundreds of Sudanese journalists are languishing in exile, with some covering the war from other regional countries. — Mat Nashed, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug. 2026

Verb

The Greek monarchy was abolished in 1973, and Crown Prince Pavlos’ parents, King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie, were exiled from the country, only returning in 2013. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026 Joe, a Geordie exiled to Yorkshire in search of work, regaled his son with stories of Jackie Milburn and the three FA Cup triumphs of the 1950s. — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for exile

Recent Examples of Synonyms for exile

Noun

In Season 3, Ruby has been suspended from the elite Maxton Hall College, and all evidence points to James being responsible for her expulsion.

— Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War culminated in the establishment of Israel and the expulsion of nearly 700,000 Palestinians from their homes.

— Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of expulsion

Noun

More than 6 million Afghans fled to neighboring Iran and Pakistan, but both those countries have kicked out nearly all their Afghan refugees in recent years—even Afghans who arrived back in 1979, during the Soviet invasion.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 31 Aug. 2026
Harborview is the safety net hospital in the Seattle region for non-English speaking refugees and immigrants.

— Cara Kelly, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of refugee

Verb

The Legislature passed late Sunday a bill that would banish lobbyists convicted of corruption from the Capitol for 12 years.

— Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Any doubts over whether that deal would be concluded would have been banished as soon as Riad was taken off.

— Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of banish

Noun

The group had already successfully pressured Avelo Airlines to end its ICE contract for deportation flights in January.

— Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
As Tom Homan had promised, the end of Operation Metro Surge did not curtail the Administration’s campaign of mass detention and deportation.

— Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of deportation

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

The week-long demonstrations were carried out with partners and focused on transporting different types of cargo, including medical supplies, food, and industrial equipment.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
Four people with wounds were transported to Hennepin Healthcare to be treated for their injuries, where one of the victims died, Parten said Wednesday afternoon.

— Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of transport

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exiguous

exile

exiled

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“Exile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exile. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of exile

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verb

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