ex·pa·tri·ate
ek-ˈspā-trē-ˌāt 
expatriated; expatriating
2
: to withdraw (oneself) from residence in or allegiance to one's native country
: to leave one's native country to live elsewhere
also
: to renounce allegiance to one's native country
ex·pa·tri·ate
ek-ˈspā-trē-ət
-trē-ˌāt
-trē-ˌāt
: living in a foreign land
ex·pa·tri·ate
ek-ˈspā-trē-ət
-trē-ˌāt
-trē-ˌāt
: a person who lives in a foreign country
Hemingway himself in The Sun Also Rises, 1926, had given the picture of the dislocated life of young English and American expatriates in the bars of Paris, the "lost generation," as Gertrude Stein defined them.—
Robert Penn Warren
Robert Penn WarrenExamples of expatriate in a Sentence
Verb
members of the deposed dictator's once-feared political party were expatriated as well
Noun
while in exile, the deposed king was accompanied by a small band of loyal expatriates
Recent Examples on the Web
Hazlitt, 18 June 2025
He was born in Ethiopia’s capital city of Addis Ababa to expatriate Indian parents, who were both educators, and grew up there as the country was ruled by Emperor Haile Selassie.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 26 May 2025
Amanda Castro
peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
In the spirit of never allowing a good crisis to go to waste, a papal tax controversy might suit the U.S. expatriate population just fine.
—Robert Goulder, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Dominique Fluker, Essence, 13 June 2025
Like all immigrants and expatriates, the people seeking golden visas are motivated by a variety of factors.
—Madeline Fitzgerald, Quartz, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expatriate
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.
Verb
During the ensuing chaos that followed, Charles fled the country, secretly expatriating to Europe.
—Hazlitt, 18 June 2025
He was born in Ethiopia’s capital city of Addis Ababa to expatriate Indian parents, who were both educators, and grew up there as the country was ruled by Emperor Haile Selassie.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 26 May 2025
Adjective
The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that all expatriate staff have safely left the country and will return when conditions permit.
—Amanda Castro
peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
In the spirit of never allowing a good crisis to go to waste, a papal tax controversy might suit the U.S. expatriate population just fine.
—Robert Goulder, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Noun
From 2020 to 2023, Black in Tulum emerged as a significant hub for Black American travelers, connecting Tulum to Playa del Carmen, now one of the world’s top destinations for Black American expatriates.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 13 June 2025
Like all immigrants and expatriates, the people seeking golden visas are motivated by a variety of factors.
—Madeline Fitzgerald, Quartz, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expatriate
Cite this Entry
“Expatriate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expatriate. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
expatriate
2 of 3 adjective
ex·pa·tri·ate
ek-ˈspā-trē-ˌāt
-trē-ət
: living in a foreign country
expatriate
3 of 3 noun
ex·pa·tri·ate
ek-ˈspā-trē-ˌāt,
-trē-ət
: a person living in a foreign country
especially
: one who has renounced his or her native country
Legal Definition
expatriate
verb
ex·pa·tri·ate
ek-ˈspā-trē-ˌāt
expatriated; expatriating
: to voluntarily withdraw (oneself) from allegiance to one's native country
: to renounce allegiance to one's country and abandon one's nationality voluntarily
expatriate
noun
-trē-ət
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share