Definition of refugeenext
as in exile
a person forced to emigrate for political reasons refugees began returning to their homeland after years of political unrest and war

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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 refugee The other, born in Chicago, is the daughter of Vietnamese refugees and grew up in the ethnically diverse neighborhood of Rogers Park. Andrea Sáenz, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2026 In the 33 years since then, the Peshmerga never became refugees again as Barzani vowed. Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 Swinehart left his role as founder of Project 658, a nonprofit that provides sustainable, holistic care to refugees resettling in the Charlotte area, to join Charlotte FC. Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2026 Next up, Gao will appear in the European refugee drama Becoming Capa alongside Anora’s Mark Eydelshteyn, per Variety. Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for refugee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refugee
Noun
  • The journey leads from the jungle into the Andes — and from fieldwork into memory, exile and family loss.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • In hard years, Noe Terrebonne, the great-great-grandson of Acadian exiles, would do a bit of smuggling for Li Shan, the Chinese proprietor of a shrimp-drying platform on Bayou Andre, in the marsh north-west of Cheniere Disparue.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
Noun
  • Authorities also said Fischer may have alternated between living aboard the sailboat and staying on shore during his years as a fugitive.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026
  • Mindich, an old friend of Zelensky’s, is now a wanted fugitive in Ukraine, hiding out in Israel to escape arrest on charges of large-scale corruption.
    Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
Noun
  • As an arachnid alien-annihilating action game, Helldivers seems like the perfect recipe for a popcorn flick.
    Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026
  • Pissenem decided to fake an alien sighting over the Mediterranean.
    Max Marshall, Vanity Fair, 15 July 2026
Noun
  • The club’s members, including an industrialist and his expatriate niece, the president and his pampered wife, and a slew of Chinese tourists, engage in a complex dance with the doting and subservient staff.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 July 2026
  • In Spain, 10 people were still unaccounted for Monday from a fire that ripped through a remote southern expatriate community last week, killing 13 people in one of the country's deadliest blazes.
    ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026

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“Refugee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refugee. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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