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.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Rights groups have raised concerns about the treatment of migrants and asylum seekers in Tunisia since the EU agreement, including reports of collective expulsions, racial violence, arbitrary detention and abuses against Black migrants.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
Paradise Lost Milton’s 17th-century biblical epic traces the story of the Fall of Man and the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden.

— Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of expulsion

Noun

The location once served as an asylum center for Cuban refugees and is now a museum dedicated to Cuban history.

— Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
Funding for refugee support is drying up, hostility toward Ukrainians is growing, and Poland still lacks a long-term integration strategy.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of refugee

Noun

The spike in arrests comes as the agency, infused with billions of dollars last summer by Congress, has also hired 12,000 new deportation officers and investigative agents.

— Rebecca Santana, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Another deportation flight is scheduled for this Thursday, the Miami Herald has learned.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 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

Browse Nearby Words

exiguous

exile

exiled

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“Exile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exile. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of exile

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verb

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