immigration

noun

im·​mi·​gra·​tion ˌi-mə-ˈgrā-shən How to pronounce immigration (audio)
plural immigrations
: an act or instance of immigrating
specifically : travel into a country for the purpose of permanent residence there
Especially during these months when there has been constant talk of immigration and its myriad challenges, both here and on European national borders … Bob Greene
illegal/legal immigration
immigration reform/policy/law
Drawing historical comparisons is always a fraught process, especially when the subject is as contentious as immigration. James Hannan
There is only a passing comment on Chinese and Japanese immigration in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, plus a short section on the truly global wave of immigrants that swept into America after the Second World War … Nicholas Guyatt
The Middle Ages is the story of successive migrations and immigrationsJanet L. Nelson
immigrational adjective
studied the region's immigrational history

Examples of immigration in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
For at least a decade, federal agents followed guidelines designed to prevent arbitrary civil immigration arrests of people at courthouses. Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2026 The ruling was issued as part of a class-action lawsuit filed by noncitizens challenging ICE’s recent practice of making arrests at immigration courthouses and detaining people for extended periods in facilities designed for short-term holds. Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2026 If an alien is ordered removed by an immigration judge, the same should happen. Michael Loria, USA Today, 24 June 2026 When Lau returned later that year, he was paroled into the country by immigration officers to face trial — meaning he was not legally admitted despite being released by immigration officers, who could still inspect him for admission at a later date. Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for immigration

Word History

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of immigration was in 1625

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Immigration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immigration. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on immigration

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster