immigration

noun

im·​mi·​gra·​tion ˌi-mə-ˈgrā-shən How to pronounce immigration (audio)
plural immigrations
: an act or instance of immigrating
specifically : travel into a country for the purpose of permanent residence there
Especially during these months when there has been constant talk of immigration and its myriad challenges, both here and on European national borders … Bob Greene
illegal/legal immigration
immigration reform/policy/law
Drawing historical comparisons is always a fraught process, especially when the subject is as contentious as immigration. James Hannan
There is only a passing comment on Chinese and Japanese immigration in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, plus a short section on the truly global wave of immigrants that swept into America after the Second World War … Nicholas Guyatt
The Middle Ages is the story of successive migrations and immigrationsJanet L. Nelson
immigrational adjective
studied the region's immigrational history

Examples of immigration in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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With Balanchine—whose brush with Bradley came after his precocious beginnings with the Ballets Russes but before his immigration to America and eventual founding of New York City Ballet—Footer pushes hard on not much more than the fact that the two choreographers shared dancers and proclivities. Brian Seibert, New Yorker, 13 May 2026 Xavier Becerra and unaccompanied migrant children Becerra was scrutinized by several candidates regarding minors who entered the United States without parents or a guardian, and who lack a lawful immigration status. Paris Barraza, USA Today, 12 May 2026 The traumatic experience altered her perspective on American immigration policy. Jade Le Deley, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026 Before releasing Nurul Amin, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office honored the year-old immigration detainer and notified the Border Patrol. Dan Barry, New York Times, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for immigration

Word History

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of immigration was in 1625

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Immigration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immigration. Accessed 16 May. 2026.

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