EXILES Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

exiles 1 of 2

noun

plural of exile

as in expulsions

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.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in refugees

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

exiles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of exile

as in banishes

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 exiles

Noun

After the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, Israa like other Syrian exiles could weigh whether to return. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2026 Avila was born in Hialeah to exiles who left Castro’s repressive regime in Cuba — a biography certain to resonate in South Florida. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026 The Iranian regime has been killing troublesome exiles since the Islamic Revolution, in 1979. — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026 Pure catharsis that exiles can dedicate in the name of those silenced on the island. — Sarah Moreno august 7, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026 In his brutal eight-year reign, Amin was estimated by exiles and human rights groups to have caused the deaths of at least 300,000 people and expelled the country’s Asian population. — Andrew Fifield, New York Times, 30 July 2026 In hard years, Noe Terrebonne, the great-great-grandson of Acadian exiles, would do a bit of smuggling for Li Shan, the Chinese proprietor of a shrimp-drying platform on Bayou Andre, in the marsh north-west of Cheniere Disparue. — Literary Hub, 16 July 2026 In the 1930s and 1940s, postrevolutionary Mexico emerged as both an incubator of modern art and haven for European refugees, political exiles and other expats. — Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026 Many Latinos, including Cubans and Cuban Americans living in the United States, were in favor of this action, especially the old generation of Miami Cuban and Venezuelan exiles who have long supported the Republican Party. — Juan Carlos Albarran, The Conversation, 13 July 2026

Verb

This practice exiles him completely from the realm of literary fiction; some might even question whether Patterson is really a writer. — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for exiles

Noun

Among other goals, the plan looks to close academic gaps, double the number of Black male teachers and reduce out-of-school suspensions and expulsions for Black students.

— Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Following the 2014 guidance, many school districts shifted away from suspensions and expulsions, adopting restorative justice policies that prioritize dialogue over punishment.

— Brittney Melton, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of expulsions

Noun

These refugees often had to adopt new roles in order to survive.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of refugees

Verb

That is why, when Diana falls in love with Lalo, the King simply banishes him.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026
Mary appears to have a form of treatment-resistant schizophrenia, until chemotherapy, following a diagnosis of lymphoma, banishes her psychiatric symptoms.

— Julia M. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of banishes

Noun

Federal judges in Massachusetts and California have ruled these deportations to be unconstitutional.

— Daniel Estrin, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026
The third-country deportations also include places so dangerous the State Department warns Americans to not travel there, like the Central African Republic, a landlocked country where armed conflict and violent crime are rampant.

— Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of deportations

Verb

The Sioux Falls regional water reclamation facility, which transports and treats wastewater from the city and surrounding communities is receiving $81 million in the budget.

— Gabriel Brito, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 28 Aug. 2026
And soon Scotty’s got a new task, too, after A’Sha transports him to a Jeffries tube to get the pod ready.

— Keith Phipps, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of transports

Browse Nearby Words

exiled

exiles

exiling

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

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

Copy Citation

Synonyms of exiles

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

apiary

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes