refugee

noun ref·u·gee \ ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē , ˈre-fyu̇-ˌjē \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

Definition of refugee

: one that flees; especially : a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution

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refugeeism

play \ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē-ˌi-zəm, ˈre-fyu̇-ˌjē-\ noun

See refugee defined for English-language learners

See refugee defined for kids

Examples of refugee in a Sentence

Thousands of refugees have fled the area.
refugees began returning to their homeland after years of political unrest and war

Recent Examples of refugee from the Web

Another conference on April 25 in Brussels will aim to help Lebanon better cope with Syrian refugees.

— Washington Post, "Paris conference raises over $11 billion to help Lebanon," 6 Apr. 2018
According to the New York Times, Batali is traveling to Rwanda and Greece this month to work with refugees.

— phillip morris, cleveland.com, "Is there a road to redemption for some sexual harassers?:," 3 Apr. 2018
While serving in Indianapolis, Tobin resettled Syrian war refugees in 2015 despite opposition from then-Gov. Mike Pence and fears about terrorist plants.

— patricia montemurri, Detroit Free Press, "Can Cardinal Joe, a native Detroiter, rise to become 1st American pope?," 1 Apr. 2018
While serving in Indianapolis, Tobin resettled Syrian war refugees in 2015 despite opposition from then-Gov. Mike Pence and fears about terrorist plants.

— patricia montemurri, Indianapolis Star, "Can Cardinal Joseph Tobin rise to become 1st American pope?," 1 Apr. 2018
A month after squeezing into a rubber boat to cross a frigid river on the Greek-Turkish border, Syrian refugee Mohammad al Jarad sat in a chartered private jet leaving a small Greek airport for France.

— Fox News, "In by dinghy, out by jet: Smugglers in Europe shift tactics," 28 Mar. 2018
Um Basel is a Syrian refugee from Dara’a and now living in Irbid.

— refinery29.com, "On Muslim Women's Day, Portraits Of Resilience And Strength," 27 Mar. 2018
Overall migration is usually associated with refugees fleeing to other countries in times of war or other crises, with the U.N. and other agencies keeping track of those pushed outside their own borders.

— andrea thompson, Scientific American, "Wave of Climate Migration Looms, but It “Doesn't Have to Be a Crisis”," 23 Mar. 2018
Oh My Sweet Land Golden Thread Productions presents Amir Nizar Zuabi’s play, which is based on interviews with Jordanian refugees, in kitchens throughout the Bay Area, with performances followed by food sharing.

— chronicle staff report, San Francisco Chronicle, "Theater capsule reviews and listings, week of March 25," 22 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'refugee.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of refugee

French réfugié, past participle of (se) réfugier to take refuge, from Middle French refugier, from Latin refugium

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1685

See Words from the same year

refugee Synonyms

Synonyms

deportee, émigré (also emigré), evacuee, exile, expatriate;

Related Words

alien, fugitive;

castoff, outcast, pariah;

loyalist, patriot;

REFUGEE Defined for English Language Learners

refugee

noun

Definition of refugee for English Language Learners

: someone who has been forced to leave a country because of war or for religious or political reasons

REFUGEE Defined for Kids

refugee

noun ref·u·gee \ ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē \

Definition of refugee for Students

: a person who flees for safety (as from war) usually to a foreign country

Law Dictionary

refugee

noun ref·u·gee \ ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē \

legal Definition of refugee

: an individual seeking refuge or asylum; especially : an individual who has left his or her native country and is unwilling or unable to return to it because of persecution or fear of persecution (as because of race, religion, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion)