deportation
noun
de·por·ta·tion
ˌdē-ˌpȯr-ˈtā-shən 
-pər-
plural deportations
: an act or instance of deporting
especially
: the removal from a country by an executive government agency of a foreign-born noncitizen (such as one whose presence violates immigration laws or is ruled detrimental to the public welfare)
Examples of deportation in a Sentence
the deportation of the Jews from Spain in 1492
Recent Examples on the Web
The steady drumbeat of imagery out of Minnesota is persuading the last few persuadable voters that this deportation campaign has gone too far.
—
Arkansas Online, 28 Jan. 2026
In April, 2025, as deportations ramped up nationwide, the for-profit prison company CoreCivic repurposed a decommissioned prison in California City into an immigration detention center after signing a contract with ICE.
—Oren Peleg, New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2026
Calls are mounting on Capitol Hill for Noem to step down after the shooting deaths in Minneapolis of two people who protested deportations.
—Laura Bargfeld, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Noem is reportedly more interested in the number of arrests and deportations.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deportation
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.
Arkansas Online, 28 Jan. 2026
In April, 2025, as deportations ramped up nationwide, the for-profit prison company CoreCivic repurposed a decommissioned prison in California City into an immigration detention center after signing a contract with ICE.
—Oren Peleg, New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2026
Calls are mounting on Capitol Hill for Noem to step down after the shooting deaths in Minneapolis of two people who protested deportations.
—Laura Bargfeld, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Noem is reportedly more interested in the number of arrests and deportations.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deportation
Cite this Entry
“Deportation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deportation. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
