refugees

noun

plural of refugee
as in exiles
a person forced to emigrate for political reasons refugees began returning to their homeland after years of political unrest and war

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 refugees 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 With no more room for the burgeoning influx, at least six thousand of the city’s refugees were housed at the central railway station, which would be devastated in the Allied firebombing. — Literary Hub, 31 Aug. 2026 Louisville also welcomed more Somalian refugees in the 1990s after a civil war broke out in the East African nation. — Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 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 In the early ‘60s, the Tower Theater’s films entertained Cuban refugees and introduced them to American culture, making the theater a cultural cornerstone for the local Cuban community. — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026 American sentiment was turning against newcomers, whether Vietnamese refugees, Cuban and Haitian boat people, Central Americans fleeing civil wars or Mexicans looking for economic opportunity. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 During the seven years that it was occupied by British forces, Manhattan had been ravaged by fires, picked over by looters, covered in fortifications, and swollen with refugees. — Eric Lach, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refugees
  1. exiles
  2. aliens
  3. evacuees
  4. expatriates
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
Definition of exiles
Noun
  • Once again, we’re shown Blunt’s character being hijacked by aliens mid-weather report, uttering an alien language of clicks and pops.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 May 2026
Definition of aliens
Noun
  • The evacuees had been brought from the nearby community of Trishuli.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026
  • There are rumors about evacuees not being able to secure hotel rooms thanks to out-of-towners.
    — Anya Kamenetz, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of evacuees
Noun
  • Likewise, the Relief Procedures for Certain Former Citizens provides a pathway for eligible former citizens with minimal tax liability to resolve outstanding filing obligations without becoming covered expatriates.
    — Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • His success in the States landed him on the Israeli reality series The Americans, which follows Israeli expatriates chasing the American dream in the United States.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026
Definition of expatriates

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Cite this Entry

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

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