refugees

Definition of refugeesnext
plural of refugee
as in exiles
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 refugees Over 1,400 refugees were housed by the government in a compound and provided food and medical care, said Corey Malcom, the Florida Keys History Center’s lead historian. ABC News, 14 May 2026 Immigrants without legal status are ineligible for Medicaid benefits, but a swath of noncitizens qualify, such as green-card holders, asylees, and refugees. Andrew Jones, CBS News, 14 May 2026 Liba Vaynberg is the Jewish daughter of Azerbaijani and Ukrainian refugees, an O’Neill Award–winning playwright produced off-Broadway, and a staff writer on Star City (Sony/Apple TV). Matt Grobar, Deadline, 14 May 2026 Vang, meanwhile, is the daughter of Hmong refugees, and would be the first representative of Hmong descent in Congress if elected. Robin Epley, Sacbee.com, 14 May 2026 For Hiba and Ibrahim, who had fled ethnic violence in Sudan and were living as refugees with their children in Jordan, the news was devastating. Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 14 May 2026 We were placed in Braunschweig, near Halle, as refugees. Roberto Prieto, Variety, 14 May 2026 In 1997, the businessman shocked diplomats at a black-tie gala by announcing the donation of a staggering $1 billion to the United Nations to benefit programs aiding refugees and children. Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 7 May 2026 Craftspeople are forcibly displaced and become refugees who come to Germany or the UK to work, say, as Uber drivers. Pablo Larios, Artforum, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refugees
Noun
  • There's a lot of talk about the Cubans and exiles and civil society outside of Cuba, but Luis Manuel is basically reminding everybody that there is this civil society inside of Cuba, that there are intellectuals and thinkers and artists and writers who are really trying to get change done in Cuba.
    Dana Taylor, USA Today, 14 May 2026
  • DeChambeau’s struggles come at an especially critical juncture for the two-time US Open winner and the rest of his LIV Golf exiles.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • The longer answer is that there are pages and pages of old FBI records, unresolved cases, eyewitness interviews, and the usual grainy, black-and-white images that show dots but nothing remotely conclusive about aliens, alien spaceships, or any alien technology.
    Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026
Noun
  • More than 120 passengers and crew on the MV Hondius were flown out from Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday and Monday, and countries have adopted different health measures for their returning evacuees.
    CBS News, CBS News, 12 May 2026
  • One French passenger showed symptoms while flying home, and all five evacuees on that flight will enter isolation protocols, the country’s prime minister said.
    Vasco Cotovio, CNN Money, 10 May 2026
Noun
  • With Singapore restricting the number of expatriates, the UAE has also been a major beneficiary as some international banks relocate part of their operations.
    Vasuki Shastry, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
  • That appreciation extends beyond citizens to the more than 20 million expatriates who call the region home.
    Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 7 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Refugees.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refugees. Accessed 17 May. 2026.

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