IMMIGRANT Synonyms: 51 Similar and Opposite Words

immigrant 1 of 2

noun

ˈi-mə-grənt

Definition of immigrant

as in migrant

one that leaves one place to settle in another America was founded by immigrants and they have been its lifeblood ever since

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

immigrant

2 of 2

adjective

as in expatriate

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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 immigrant

Noun

The county's promise of good-paying jobs has attracted immigrants to Elkhart and surrounding counties. — Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 3 Sep. 2026 Uganda then had a large population of Indian immigrants, who had been brought over by the British at the end of the nineteenth century to help construct railways, and who eventually established more economic autonomy and power than Black Ugandans. — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2026

Adjective

Her arc mirrored that of my Mexican immigrant parents, who were also mountain people who grew up in big farming families with no plumbing or electricity, snuggling with siblings during winter nights in unheated bedrooms. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 About 500 protesters gathered on the Capitol steps Wednesday afternoon in opposition to legislation that offers to withhold immigrant support providers’ addresses from the public, clashing with a group of counterprotesters. — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for immigrant

Recent Examples of Synonyms for immigrant

Noun

But Wong said to survive, his country will have to welcome foreign migrants and workers.

— Brian Mann, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
The flight on Saturday is the second to the Central African Republic since June, which carried two dozen migrants, including an Iranian woman facing persecution in her home country.

— Mark Banchereau, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of migrant

Adjective

This is a team assembled from immigration, diaspora, and expatriate ambition, coached by an outsider who can see what insiders missed.

— Michael Morris, Time, 1 July 2026
The Stoli Group is run by Russian expatriate billionaire Yuri Shefler, who also lives in Switzerland.

— Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026

Definition of expatriate

Noun

The decision could have broad implications for descendants of Italian emigrants, particularly in North and South America, where large Italian diaspora communities have ancestral ties to Italy.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026
González has witnessed the ties between Mexico and its emigrants abroad evolve over four decades, starting as a young consular officer in the administration of Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari.

— Alfredo Corchado, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026

Definition of emigrant

Adjective

Maduro’s lawyers argued in papers filed Wednesday in Manhattan federal court that the indictment must be dismissed because heads of sovereign states are immune from criminal prosecution in foreign courts.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
The recent changes followed reports that some foreign residents had been driving up home prices or evading payments for their public health insurance.

— Christine Miyawaki, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of foreign

Noun

Originally the homeland of the Ohlone Indians, the Mission was taken over by Spanish settlers in the 1700s and so named after the Catholic church at its center, now known as Mission Dolores.

— Marissa J. Lang, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
Branly Cadet will research, design, and sculpt a bronze statue of du Sable, Chicago's first permanent non-native settler.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of settler

Adjective

This time round, Horvat is on to something even more deliciously odd with a study that mashes together grief, matrimonial disharmony, the alien nature of mathematical minds, and desire’s wild pursuit of obscure objects.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
The series follows two best friends, Māori character Māui from Aotearoa and Métis character Elvis from Canada, who set out to save Māui’s grandmother after an alien bent on world destruction takes over her body.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of alien

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

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immethodical

immigrant

immigrants

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“Immigrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/immigrant. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of immigrant

noun

adjective

Example Sentences

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