Synonyms of exile

exile 1 of 2

noun

ˈeg-ˌzī(-ə)l 

1

as in expulsion

the forced removal from a homeland

the exile of French settlers from Nova Scotia resulted in the birth of the Cajun community in the U.S.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• expulsion
• deportation
• banishment
• displacement
• emigration
• migration
• expatriation
• dispersion
• relegation
• evacuation
• diaspora
• extradition
• scattering
• transportation
• ostracism
• ejection
• ouster
• dispossession

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• return
• repatriation
• immigration
• arrival
• entry

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

• refugee
• émigré
• expatriate
• fugitive
• alien
• deportee
• expat
• evacuee
• outcast
• patriot
• pariah
• loyalist
• castoff

exile

2 of 2

verb

as in to banish

to force to leave a country

with their conquest of the Moors complete, Ferdinand and Isabella next exiled the Jews from Spain

Synonyms & Similar Words

• banish
• relegate
• deport
• transport
• evict
• expatriate
• expel
• run out
• eliminate
• exclude
• cast out
• displace
• kick out
• dismiss
• eject
• excommunicate
• ostracize
• spurn
• oust
• expulse
• throw out
• reject
• dispossess
• repudiate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• receive
• accept
• repatriate
• admit
• shelter
• take in
• naturalize
• house
• entertain
• harbor

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

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

Recent Examples of exile

Noun

With potential political upheaval on the horizon, Cuban exiles in Miami have begun positioning themselves for power, but their own internecine disputes bode poorly for any political transition, El País reported. —Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 6 Apr. 2026

The government has confiscated assets of over 200 outspoken exiles under an anti-espionage law passed during last year’s war. —Amir-Hussein Radjy, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026

Verb

From September 2023 until September 2025, Chairwoman Shannon O’Brien was exiled from the commission after Treasurer Deborah Goldberg suspended and then fired her based in part on clashes with the former executive director, who had previously worked for the treasurer. —State House News Service, Boston Herald, 6 Apr. 2026

This practice exiles him completely from the realm of literary fiction; some might even question whether Patterson is really a writer. —Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026