Synonyms of refugees

refugees

noun

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

• exiles
• fugitives
• aliens
• émigrés
• evacuees
• expatriates
• deportees
• patriots
• expats
• outcasts
• loyalists
• pariahs
• castoffs

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of refugees

The park was teeming with refugees—hundreds of people living in makeshift tents, mostly tarps draped over ropes between trees. — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

When the war started, Turkey planned to accommodate 70,000 Iranian refugees. — Narges Bajoghli, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2026

Sethi started writing after reading reports of Afghan refugees being moved out of temporary shelters as Germany took in large numbers of Ukrainians escaping the war. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026

Shell opened its first salon in December 2022, just off Carnaby Street, staffed by several Ukrainian refugees. — Lucy Abbersteen, Allure, 9 Oct. 2026

To date, the company has hired more than 1,500 refugees across Europe. — Ted Kitterman, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026

Malaysia is home to about 215,600 refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR, including about 126,000 Rohingya who make up one of Southeast Asia’s largest refugee communities. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026

The country has also taken in more than a million Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war. — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026

Laotian refugees in the country – verified and registered by the United Nations – have gone missing or been found dead. — Shibani Mahtani, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026