refugee

noun

ref·​u·​gee ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē 

ˈre-fyu̇-ˌjē

: one that flees

especially : a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution

refugeeism

ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē-ˌi-zəm 

ˈre-fyu̇-ˌjē-

noun

Synonyms

• exile
• fugitive
• alien
• émigré
• expatriate

Examples of refugee in a Sentence

Thousands of refugees have fled the area.

refugees began returning to their homeland after years of political unrest and war

Recent Examples on the Web

Those include an Ikea training and skills program for refugees, which to date reached over 3,700 people, and Ikea’s retail arm providing direct job opportunities to refugees from Syria and more recently, Ukraine, Brodin said. —Peter Vanham, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025

The International Court of Justice also said in its advisory opinion that the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the main UN body serving Palestinian refugees, has not violated impartiality rules and that Israel must support the agency’s relief work. —Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025

Inside, among international-food stalls and ethnic-clothing shops, is a family-medicine clinic that serves a largely refugee and immigrant community. —Helen Ouyang, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2025

The heroic young girl Korero is descended from Aoteora (New Zealand) refugees, who are living on a sparse island that doesn’t draw attention from invaders. —Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French réfugié, past participle of (se) réfugier to take refuge, from Middle French refugier, from Latin refugium

First Known Use

1685, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

refugee

noun

ref·​u·​gee ˌref-yu̇-ˈjē 

ˈref-yu̇-ˌjē

: a person who flees for safety especially to a foreign country

Etymology

from French réfugié, past participle of réfugier "to put in a place of safety," from Latin refugium "a refuge," from refugere "to run away from, escape," from re- "again, against" and fugere "to run away, flee" — related to centrifugal, fugitive

Legal Definition

refugee

noun

ref·​u·​gee ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē 

: an individual seeking refuge or asylum

especially : an individual who has left his or her native country and is unwilling or unable to return to it because of persecution or fear of persecution (as because of race, religion, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion)