refugee

noun

ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē How to pronounce refugee (audio)
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 beloved spice blend was invented in 1940 by Gustav Brunn, a German Jewish refugee who fled Nazi persecution and landed in Baltimore. — Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 31 July 2026 People have sold personal belongings, like their cars, to afford services that turn out to be bogus, said Christopher Ross, who oversees migration and refugee resettlement services at Catholic Charities USA. — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026 The fact that these people cannot simply be returned to Morocco en masse, however, shows that the international asylum and refugee system is fundamentally broken and open to widespread abuse. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026 However, Saifuddin, who did not explicitly identify the 5,000 individuals as Rohingya, said only Myanmar nationals with refugee status were being repatriated. — ABC News, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for refugee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refugee
  1. exile
  2. fugitive
  3. alien
  4. expatriate
Noun
  • Between 2020 and 2025, fewer than 90 Tibetans were received as refugees in India, the Central Tibetan Administration, Tibet’s government in exile, told CNN.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • There’s considerable curiosity surrounding the 51-year-old’s return to the Big Ten after a three-year exile following his ouster at alma mater Northwestern in July 2023 following an investigation into hazing allegations in his program.
    — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of exile
Noun
  • Maybe to catch a glimpse of the fugitive’s face and look for any satisfying hint of regret or grief or terror.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026
  • After a coup leaves her family dead, Azaleah becomes a fugitive whose very presence promises disaster, according to the book’s synopsis.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
Definition of fugitive
Noun
  • Adding to the challenge was the fact that, these days, even many Japanese find the old-style samurai genre alien as much as does the Westerner.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026
  • Ruaridh Aldington joins season two of Starfleet Academy as a series regular playing Keats, a young alien our cadets encounter on an away mission who possesses a mysterious backstory.
    — Rick Ellis, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of alien
Noun
  • His success in the States landed him on the Israeli reality series The Americans, which follows Israeli expatriates chasing the American dream in the United States.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of expatriate

Browse Nearby Words

refuged
refugee
refugees
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Cite this Entry

“Refugee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refugee. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on refugee

Nglish: Translation of refugee for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about refugee

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