migrant

noun

mi·​grant ˈmī-grənt How to pronounce migrant (audio)
plural migrants
: someone or something that migrates: such as
a
: a person who moves regularly in order to find work especially in harvesting crops
farms employing migrants during the growing season
b
: immigrant sense a
especially : refugee
… administration officials announced they would work to swiftly screen migrants seeking asylum at the border … and penalize people who cross illegally into the U.S. or illegally through another country on their way to the U.S. border. Colleen Long
c
: an animal (such as a gray whale, monarch butterfly, leatherback sea turtle, or Canada goose) that moves usually long distances from one habitat or geographic region to another
migrant adjective
migrant labor
migrant birds

Examples of migrant in a Sentence

migrants in search of work on farms Not all birds are migrants.
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.
What To Know The Nogales facility was designed to provide temporary housing and services for migrants awaiting processing or deportation. Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025 The visa was also seen as a way to lure talent that would have otherwise gone to the US, where new laws have priced out many would-be migrants. Ben Smith, semafor.com, 17 Oct. 2025 Among the tasks for the troops were repelling migrants and, at least in one instance, troops used tear gas on a group of Venezuelan migrants at the border. Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 17 Oct. 2025 Trump has moved to deploy US troops and federal law enforcement officials to major cities — including Los Angeles, Washington, Memphis, Chicago and Portland — to target crime and counter demonstrations against his deportations of undocumented migrants. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for migrant

Word History

Etymology

Latin migrant-, migrans, present participle of migrare

First Known Use

1760, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of migrant was in 1760

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Migrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/migrant. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

migrant

noun
mi·​grant ˈmī-grənt How to pronounce migrant (audio)
: a person, animal, or plant that migrates
migrant adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on migrant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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