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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 Sheriff’s Office has blamed the crowding in part on Iryna’s Law, legislation named for the Ukrainian refugee fatally stabbed on Charlotte’s Blue Line light rail in 2025. — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 5 Sep. 2026 Besides the threat from Iran, Jordan faces other challenges, such as an economy that has buckled under millions of refugees fleeing regional conflicts. — ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026 These refugees often had to adopt new roles in order to survive. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026 Cuban refugee Tony Montana arrives in Miami as part of the Mariel boatlift and quickly stakes his claim in the city’s drug trade. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for refugee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refugee
  1. exile
  2. fugitive
  3. alien
  4. expatriate
Noun
  • Federal prosecutors usually do not use espionage charges to convict foreign agents spying on exile groups, but instead charge them with other crimes like conspiracy or acting as an agent of a foreign government.
    — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The city’s legislature now comprises only pro-Beijing loyalists, while most pro-democracy figures are either in jail or in exile overseas.
    — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of exile
Noun
  • With Poland effectively sealed off and her own life now in danger, she is forced into hiding and becomes a hunted fugitive, navigating a city transformed by fear, political repression and violence.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of fugitive
Noun
  • This switching of places is especially true of Islam seen as an alien but also more virile force than Western liberalism, one whose power thus needs to be countered by its own weapons of solidarity and domination.
    — Faisal Devji, Time, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Also in the house are Roger (also voiced by Seth MacFarlane), an alien found at Area 51 who regularly wears a costume to disguise himself, and Klaus (Dee Bradley Baker), a talking goldfish with the brain of a Cold War-era East Germany athlete.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 10 Sep. 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 19 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on refugee

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about refugee

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