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 The July 8 ruling prevents law enforcement from being able to deport migrants who swim into the territories, reversing a practice of deporting them on the spot without a legal process. Miguel MacIas, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026 Authorities said Jimenez had been deported to the Dominican Republic in 2019 after he was convicted of a prior federal offense. Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026 Authorities in both Ceuta and Madrid linked it to a recent decision by Spain’s Supreme Court that ruled migrants arriving by sea could not be summarily deported, unlike those who cross by land or climb the border fence. Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 31 July 2026 Photos and videos show an army’s worth of migrants — mostly young men — participating in the invasion as authorities scramble to deport the foreign nationals. Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for deport
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deport
Verb
  • Joe, a Geordie exiled to Yorkshire in search of work, regaled his son with stories of Jackie Milburn and the three FA Cup triumphs of the 1950s.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • And last year’s constitutional reforms had already established a one-party system in a country where opposition leaders no longer exist, because they have been exiled.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Verb
  • Hatfield went to trial for his involvement in the shoot-out and was acquitted in March 1921 by a jury.
    Elijah TanAll, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026
  • While Clinton was impeached by the house, he was acquitted of perjury and obstruction of justice charges.
    Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026
Verb
  • Sam Roberts, a longtime obituarist for the New York Times, wants to banish the euphemisms that attend death.
    Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
  • That is why, when Diana falls in love with Lalo, the King simply banishes him.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • An identical sports risk carries a 51% tax through one legal door and an exchange fee through the other.
    Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • How to prevent mosquito bites in Pittsburgh There are precautions people can take to help prevent mosquito bites, including bites from the species carrying West Nile Virus.
    Finch Walker, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The poor performance left Doval, relegated to low-leverage opportunities, well removed from Aaron Boone’s circle of trust in recent weeks.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The year 1980 also saw the Tower relegated to second place in the London skyline when the taller NatWest Tower was completed.
    David Szondy August 01, New Atlas, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • But with its home entertainment release, McKenzie feels like major corporations are behaving as if his movie is too hot to touch.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The Odyssey and the Gospels share a plot device in which both Odysseus and Jesus behave like undercover agents.
    John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Sarah Ferguson’s reported whereabouts have been revealed after she was evicted from Royal Lodge on January 31 following her ex-husband, former Prince Andrew’s, ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
    Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 24 July 2026
  • In extreme situations, facilities might send a resident to an emergency room for evaluation or to a psychiatric hospital, or evict or discharge them.
    Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 July 2026
Verb
  • Gulf states push China to restrain Iran Gulf states are pushing for China to rein in Iran as doubts grow about the US’ ability to end the five-month conflict.
    semafor.com, semafor.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Jor’Dell Richardson was lying face up on the ground with two officers restraining at least one of his hands when another officer shot him in the stomach.
    Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 3 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Deport.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deport. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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