foreigner

noun

for·​eign·​er ˈfȯr-ə-nər 

ˈfär-

1

: a person belonging to or owing allegiance to a foreign country

2

chiefly dialectal : one not native to a place or community : stranger sense 1c

Synonyms of foreigner

• stranger

Examples of foreigner in a Sentence

I can tell by your accent you're a foreigner in these parts.

Recent Examples on the Web

Today’s China may have lost a lot of the graciousness once bestowed on foreigners, or at least Americans, generally speaking, but one country that has been consistently convivial over several decades for this guy is Japan. —David Dickstein, Oc Register, 11 Mar. 2026

And the service culture, rooted in the Quranic virtue of hospitality, comes with a rare degree of social tolerance for an Islamic country; King Mohammed VI’s support for tourism effectively shields foreigners from harsh religious strictures. —Kevin West, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026

The fighting has also led foreigners to flee from business hubs and prompted millions to seek shelter as bombs hit sites including military bases, government buildings, oil and water installations, hotels and at least one school. —Samy Magdy, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026

The greater media pressure when the victim is a foreigner creates more incentive for the police and prosecutors to investigate a kidnapping, extortion, disappearance, or homicide. —Armando Regil Velasco, FOXNews.com, 8 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing foreigner

• anti-foreigner

Rhymes for foreigner

• coroner

Kids Definition

foreigner

noun

for·​eign·​er ˈfȯr-ə-nər 

ˈfär-

: a person who is from a foreign country