exile 1 of 2

1
2
as in refugee
a person forced to emigrate for political reasons after being overthrown in a coup, the dictator spent the remainder of his life as an exile in a string of less-than-welcoming countries

Synonyms & Similar Words

exile

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb exile contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of exile are banish, deport, and transport. While all these words mean "to remove by authority from a state or country," 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 would banish be a good substitute for exile?

The synonyms banish and exile are sometimes interchangeable, but banish implies compulsory removal from a country not necessarily one's own.

banished for seditious activities

When is deport a more appropriate choice than exile?

Although the words deport and exile have much in common, 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 transport be a better fit than exile?

The words transport and exile can be used in similar contexts, but 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 exile
Noun
After eight years in exile, director Bryan Singer is mounting a comeback. Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 27 Aug. 2025 His call was backed by some opposition groups in exile as well as some separatist groups within the country, but the Islamic Republic has stood firm. Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
And the story keeps moving, as Dante is exiled from Florence. Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025 The 1958 plaque, also placed by the DAR, originally stood on a boulder that replaced the original marker, which had been exiled to the museum. Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exile
Noun
  • Protesters, many older adults, were calling for the expulsion of the Israel-Premier Tech team which was stopped last week during a time trial by activists holding Palestinian flags.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
  • This latest expulsion followed an earlier Trump order revoking TPS protections granted by Biden in 2023 to another 348,000 Venezuelans, which brings the total number of expulsions of Venezuelan immigrants to more than 600,000.
    Andres Oppenheimer September 5, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Last month, the Borgo Laudato Si’ hosted a luncheon for roughly a hundred refugees, people who were homeless and others in need, as well as church volunteers who assist them.
    Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Given Libya’s Mediterranean-facing coastline, it is seen by many refugees fleeing Sudan as a gateway to Europe, with over 200,000 Sudanese people arriving into the country since the outbreak of the civil war, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
    Rory Fleming, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • This tension is only underlined by the filmmakers’ insistence on using pictures of the real Warrens and their demon-banishing clients in the credits of most Conjuring-verse movies.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
  • This blemish-banishing formula includes witch hazel, algae extract, and grape seed extract, plus vitamin E to keep pores looking tight, rein in excess sebum, and shield skin from free radicals.
    Esme Benjamin, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Unwavering loyalty Schrandt told ABC News that any deportations to Afghanistan are an unacceptable outcome.
    Chris Boccia, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2025
  • The decision comes following months of mass deportations and pressure to close Alligator Alcatraz, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility located in the Florida Everglades.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Worthy certainly was a significant part of the game-plan, and then his significance in the game was relegated to one series.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
  • This summer will have been a baptism of fire for Underwood, too, jumping from the insulated confines of academy football into the bearpit of a window that will go some way to deciding whether Leeds are relegated or not.
    Beren Cross, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • On that June mission, all passengers on board the flotilla were detained off the coast, taken to Israel and later deported.
    Callum Sutherland, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The South Korean workers' treatment stands in stark contrast to the experiences of tens of thousands of Mexicans, Venezuelans and Guatemalans who face months in jail-like detention centers before being forcibly deported.
    Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Abrego was brought back in June to face criminal charges of transporting migrants living in the United States illegally.
    Ted Hesson, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
  • One man was pronounced dead at the scene, while two of the five injured were transported to hospitals by helicopter and are listed in critical condition, the station reported.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exile. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on exile

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!