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

The company faced multiple protests in Denver, initially for its support of the Israeli military and more recently for its work with ICE using AI to identify targets for deportation. —Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026

Ten states — all led by Democrats — now have statewide policies prohibiting law enforcement officers from cooperating in one of the primary programs Trump is using to carry out his agenda of mass deportations. —David A. Lieb, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026

This has led to a pattern of unlawful detentions and mass deportations, creating a climate of fear and exacerbating the 'chilling effect' for migrant communities and for international students across schools and campuses. —Austen Erblat, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026

Trump campaigned on a promise of mass deportation, and while his overall approval ratings remain historically low, ratings on border security and immigration usually rank higher than other issues like the economy. —Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 18 Feb. 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