Definition of deportnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb deport contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of deport are banish, exile, and transport. While all these words mean "to remove by authority from a state or country," deport implies sending out of the country an alien who has illegally entered or whose presence is judged inimical to the public welfare.

illegal aliens will be deported

When might banish be a better fit than deport?

In some situations, the words banish and deport are roughly equivalent. However, banish implies compulsory removal from a country not necessarily one's own.

banished for seditious activities

When is it sensible to use exile instead of deport?

The synonyms exile and deport are sometimes interchangeable, but exile may imply compulsory removal or an enforced or voluntary absence from one's own country.

a writer who exiled himself for political reasons

When is transport a more appropriate choice than deport?

The meanings of transport and deport largely overlap; however, transport implies sending a convicted criminal to an overseas penal colony.

a convict who was transported to Australia

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of deport Of the 429 people arrested in Sacramento, less than half — 204 — had been deported. Mathew Miranda july 9, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026 The body did not, in fact, belong to Hurtado’s husband, Eduardo José Osal Mujica, 32, from Lara state in west-central Venezuela, one of the 146 Venezuelans deported from the United States on June 24, the day the earthquakes struck the country. Sonia Osorio, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026 The administration wanted to claim the opposite to create a legal basis for deporting Venezuelan immigrants. Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026 But state prosecutors charged him with smuggling of persons and smuggling of a minor, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported him back to Venezuela in August 2023. Sebastian Rotella, ProPublica, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for deport
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deport
Verb
  • The reality star, actress, and comedian hasn't been exiled from late night altogether, however.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026
  • The producers essentially did as much once both were exiled from Casa Amor, and the two made the mutual decision to couple up onscreen.
    Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • The same jury acquitted him of the more serious charge of conspiracy to commit economic espionage.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 July 2026
  • Those four charges were the ones at a trial in May 2026 at which he was acquitted.
    Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 15 July 2026
Verb
  • Here, Vater and Mary Phillips, Head of Native Plant Habitat Strategy/Certifications at the National Wildlife Federation, share all the details on the right time (and right way) to banish your weeds—and keep them at bay during your next vacation.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 12 July 2026
  • Mary appears to have a form of treatment-resistant schizophrenia, until chemotherapy, following a diagnosis of lymphoma, banishes her psychiatric symptoms.
    Julia M. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Verb
  • The latest in Houston Salgado Araujo, 52, was driving to work with three other construction crew members when unmarked vehicles carrying federal agents began following his van, his family said.
    Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • Proof that the country our parents carried in their voices, their food, their music, and their sacrifices was never exaggerated.
    Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
Verb
  • Girona were relegated but Ounahi stood out as one of the better midfielders in Spain.
    Nick Miller, New York Times, 4 July 2026
  • Using this approach, the SynMax system, called Theia, enables AI to perform tasks previously relegated to intelligence analysts.
    Zita Ballinger Fletcher, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • This left open the question of whether more complex, loopy geometries would behave differently, while also leaving competing historical theories yet to be disproved.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026
  • Equally noteworthy, but far less known, is the resort’s firm policy on how to handle guests behaving badly.
    Hannah Seligson, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
Verb
  • In a recent ruling, a Cabarrus County magistrate granted the Mall at Concord Mills Limited Partnership the right to evict EZ Purchase LLC, doing business as Go Green CBD for unpaid rent.
    Catherine Muccigrosso July 14, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2026
  • Most recently, of course, Sandringham became the new home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, after King Charles spearheaded efforts to evict his disgraced brother from Royal Lodge.
    Emma Banks, InStyle, 12 July 2026
Verb
  • The filet mignon stays classy and restrained, while the dry-aged New York strip and ribeye lean deeper into the richness people come to steakhouses for in the first place.
    Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026
  • Litchfield’s most exuberant inmate, Taystee is deeply impacted by the death of her best friend, Poussey, who was being restrained incorrectly by a prison guard.
    Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 11 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deport.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deport. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on deport

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