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)

Synonyms of deportation

• expulsion

Examples of deportation in a Sentence

the deportation of the Jews from Spain in 1492

Recent Examples on the Web

Vance also criticized border policy under former President Joe Biden while praising deportations. — Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026

Trump also backed José Antonio Kast, the new president of Chile, who ran a campaign calling for tighter border controls and mass deportations. — Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026

For Hernandez, one way to return that sacrifice was to protect him from deportation. — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026

Her lawyers at the time of the deportation had been pressing the court to force the Justice Department to share information and other evidence to support the accusations in the case. — Eric Tucker, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for deportation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

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