Definition of refugeenext
as in exile
a person forced to emigrate for political reasons refugees began returning to their homeland after years of political unrest and war

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 refugee After the war ended in 1975, Truong and his family came to the United States as refugees and started out in Pennsylvania, where Truong worked in a grocery store. — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Oct. 2026 Welcoming refugees has been a matter of bipartisan consensus in the United States since Congress passed the Refugee Act with overwhelming support in 1980. — Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026 Conflict with Indigenous peoples on the Maine frontier had sent traumatized refugees into the region, relating horror stories of attacks on their homes. — Jennifer Byrne, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2026 Los Angeles would become a magnet for Black refugees from the Jim Crow South, who sought the opportunities that Mason and her neighbors made possible. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for refugee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refugee
Noun
  • Many of Yemen's government leaders live in exile, and those in Aden were safe, a government official said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Actors portraying Rama and Sita are shown living in exile in a lush green forest.
    — Sohini Sarah Pillai, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Royce Moser, 18, is facing charges including murder, while his mother, 56-year-old Rachel Moser, is facing charges including hindering apprehension of a fugitive, according to court records.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • An Iowa fugitive worked as a chef in San Diego under an alias for more than a decade.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Even in the deep ocean, which is filled with alien-like creatures, the whales almost feel like a master alien.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Business is bad for Ray, in part because Eye-Ra is an alien cyclops, and human-alien collaboration is frowned upon in this world.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The Gulf state has no federal personal income tax, and has become an increasingly popular luxe destination for wealthy expatriates.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The 80-year-old British expatriate is at his home in upstate New York.
    — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Refugee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refugee. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on refugee

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!