refugee

noun

ref·​u·​gee ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē 

ˈre-fyu̇-ˌjē

: one that flees

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

refugeeism

ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē-ˌi-zəm 

ˈre-fyu̇-ˌjē-

noun

Synonyms

• deportee
• émigré
• emigré
• evacuee
• exile
• expat [chiefly British]
• expatriate

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 on the Web

Khalil grew up in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria and was granted permanent U.S. resident status. —Annabella Rosciglione, The Washington Examiner, 14 June 2025

Thanks to a secret brain-swapping experiment, Mabel is able to transfer her mind into a robot beaver and heads to a pond, where refugees from the encroaching industrialization have landed. —Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 13 June 2025

Initial estimates indicated that over 3 million refugees crossed the border to Poland. —Alejandro Antonio Chafuen, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025

Advertisement That violence has contributed to years of rising displacement: More than 122 million people across the world have been forcibly displaced, the UN’s refugee agency reported Thursday, nearly double the number recorded a decade ago. —Chantelle Lee, Time, 13 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1685, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

refugee

noun

ref·​u·​gee ˌref-yu̇-ˈjē 

ˈref-yu̇-ˌjē

: a person who flees for safety especially to a foreign country

Etymology

from French réfugié, past participle of réfugier "to put in a place of safety," from Latin refugium "a refuge," from refugere "to run away from, escape," from re- "again, against" and fugere "to run away, flee" — related to centrifugal, fugitive

Legal Definition

refugee

noun

ref·​u·​gee ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē 

: 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)