Synonyms of refugee

refugee

noun

ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē 

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

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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of refugee

The irony here is thick, because while there were captive flamingos, escaped captive flamingos, and the occasional storm refugee along with sightings of coastal flybys, there were no longer any wild breeding birds. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 6 July 2026

After years of drought at home, Dust Bowl refugees from Oklahoma and Texas came to California looking for work, but were often greeted by angry locals. — Steve Appleford, Rolling Stone, 4 July 2026

Most immigration experts agree that the EU’s asylum laws were a triumph of European cooperation and respect for the dignity and rights of refugees. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 6 July 2026

Mandazis, ginger rice congee and crispy lentil kofte can be found in a new cafe, run by the nonprofit organization MAKE Projects, which opened at the end of June with a mission to empower immigrant and refugee women. — Madeleine Kashkooli, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2026