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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

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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
Tens of thousands of ordinary people—teachers, engineers, pharmacists, and even a Canadian underwater hockey coach—competed to see who could best predict the outcomes of real-world events: Will the president of Tunisia go into exile next month? Robert B. Tucker, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025 The major cause of anxiety and trauma among immigrants and exiles is the damage to their internal reference frames. Ha Jin july 28, Literary Hub, 28 July 2025
Verb
Another weird thing is that one person, a high-ranking member of Atomwaffen, who tried to preach for exiling Roman from all these National Socialist circles, one day disappeared. Harper’s Magazine, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025 His other confidantes at the time included two of Brazil’s most influential singer-songwriters, Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso, who had been exiled from their homeland by Brazil’s brutal military dictatorship. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exile
Noun
  • Park and McKellar have chosen not to appeal their expulsions due to the time-consuming nature of the process, which Park said would interfere with his other projects.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2025
  • According to the guild, Park and McKellar did not appeal their expulsions.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • But using military infrastructure to detain civilians, many of whom came here through legal pathways like asylum, humanitarian parole, and other refugee statuses, erodes the boundary between national defense and domestic enforcement.
    Chris Purdy, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
  • That’s why it’s being featured in her latest tour with the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra, an ensemble comprising 74 musicians, all Ukrainian, including recent refugees and Ukrainian members of European orchestras.
    Olivia Giovetti, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • If your clothes have a mildewy, musty smell, then vinegar can save the day by banishing these unwanted odors.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 2 Aug. 2025
  • Growing up, Benesch’s parents banished television sets from their home.
    Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 2 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Throughout his second term, Trump has aggressively expanded immigration enforcement—launching mass deportation operations, increasing raids in sanctuary citiesand reviving thousands of old deportation cases.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Trump's position on the southern border with Mexico was the most popular in the survey, collected a 53% positive response, while deportations and tariffs fell under the majority threshhold, with 49% and 45% approvals, respectively.
    Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Drafted in the first round a year ago, the sophomore quarterbacks have combined for three regular-season starts – all by Penix – yet were relegated to bubble wrap during the weekend.
    Jim Reineking, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
  • He was loaned to FC Twente in July 2022 after Norwich were relegated to the Championship but returned the following January to help his parent side.
    David Ornstein, New York Times, 17 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Naturalized citizens cannot be deported for criminal convictions in the same way, providing a crucial safeguard against the devastating consequences of removal.
    Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
  • Gigi is one of over 85 pets Arrieta has helped after their families were deported or self-deported since the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown began.
    Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Get transported to the islands with this new menu and the restaurant’s signature fun and lively Caribbean ambiance.
    Rana Good, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • Responding officers rendered aid to the dog before transporting it to a local hospital for treatment, KTLA reported.
    Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Exile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exile. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.

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