Thesaurus results for REFUGEE

refugee

noun

ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē

Definition of refugee

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

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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 refugee Today, roughly 1 million live in what has become the world's largest refugee settlement, with 200,000 more elsewhere in the country. — Lorcan Lovett, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026 Separately, the Palestinian Health Ministry in the West Bank said a 14-year-old in the Askar refugee camp in Nablus was shot dead by Israeli forces, which did not immediately comment. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026 Has a county government spent any tax dollars recently on flying refugees from Texas to Connecticut? — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026 Men who worked at the automobile factories donated their paychecks to help Palestinian refugees. — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for refugee

Recent Examples of Synonyms for refugee

Noun

The Iranian diaspora spans multiple generations and waves of exile, from those who left after the 1979 revolution to more recent arrivals who fled crackdowns and protest movements.

— Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Director Ivan Uryvskyi is candid about how the play recasts the ancient poem’s themes of return and those trapped in exile and captivity.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of exile

Noun

Police in Medellin, Colombia, arrested Hernandez in July 2025 after learning Interpol issued a Red Notice, an international alert notifying law enforcement to hold a wanted fugitive.

— Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
His mother, Rachel Moser, 56, was charged with hindering the apprehension of a fugitive, obstruction, abuse of a corpse and conspiracy.

— Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of fugitive

Noun

Then Cameron made The Abyss in 1989, which featured a flowing, water-like alien at the very end created by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM).

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
Directed by Na Hong-Jin and starring Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, and Alicia Vikander, the alien-encounter feature has accumulated $35 million from 4,518,395 admissions.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of alien

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 expatriate

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refugees

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“Refugee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refugee. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of refugee

noun

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