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 In the early ‘60s, the Tower Theater’s films entertained Cuban refugees and introduced them to American culture, making the theater a cultural cornerstone for the local Cuban community. — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026 Those conversations were spearheaded by headline events including the fatal stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on the light rail in South End and teen takeovers. — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026 Last month, the United Nations refugee agency said nearly 150 people died or went missing from boats off Mauritania attempting to go to Europe. — ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026 Little Saigon developed in the 1970s and ’80s, as refugees from South Vietnam fled the aftermath of the Vietnam War and moved to Southern California. — Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for refugee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refugee
  1. exile
  2. fugitive
  3. alien
  4. expatriate
Noun
  • The Iranian diaspora spans multiple generations and waves of exile, from those who left after the 1979 revolution to more recent arrivals who fled crackdowns and protest movements.
    — Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Director Ivan Uryvskyi is candid about how the play recasts the ancient poem’s themes of return and those trapped in exile and captivity.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of exile
Noun
  • Our one scene in the Sampson camp this week finds the congressman’s wife, Elspeth, warning him that having embraced Major Reacher, who is now a fugitive, in front of the press is a crisis that could tank his presidential aspirations.
    — Chris Klimek, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office said John Herb Hayes III, 70, and Geordyn Nichole Hayes, 31, were arrested Tuesday evening in Tennessee and booked into the Carter County Jail on fugitive-from-justice charges.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of fugitive
Noun
  • Then Cameron made The Abyss in 1989, which featured a flowing, water-like alien at the very end created by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM).
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Directed by Na Hong-Jin and starring Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, and Alicia Vikander, the alien-encounter feature has accumulated $35 million from 4,518,395 admissions.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of alien
Noun
  • Likewise, the Relief Procedures for Certain Former Citizens provides a pathway for eligible former citizens with minimal tax liability to resolve outstanding filing obligations without becoming covered expatriates.
    — Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • 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
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 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on refugee

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about refugee

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