deportation

noun

de·​por·​ta·​tion ˌdē-ˌpȯr-ˈtā-shən 

-pər-

1

: an act or instance of deporting

2

: the removal from a country of an alien whose presence is unlawful or prejudicial

Synonyms

• banishment
• displacement
• exile
• expatriation
• expulsion
• relegation

Examples of deportation in a Sentence

the deportation of the Jews from Spain in 1492

Recent Examples on the Web

In a significant shift from anti-immigrant policies of the 1990s, California now leads the nation in helping undocumented residents — issuing driver’s licenses, protections from deportation, COVID-19 pandemic relief, health care and, most recently, food assistance. —Mathew Miranda, Sacramento Bee, 13 May 2024

While the prime minister’s office said the ruling wouldn’t derail or delay Rwanda deportations that the U.K. government says will begin in July, a lawyer whose client prevailed in bringing the case said the law wouldn't apply in Northern Ireland. —Fox News, 13 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

deportation

noun

de·​por·​ta·​tion ˌdē-ˌpōr-ˈtā-shən 

: an act or instance of deporting

specifically : the removal from a country of an alien whose presence is illegal or detrimental to the public welfare compare exclusion