refugee

noun

ref·​u·​gee ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē 

ˈre-fyu̇-ˌjē

: one that flees

especially : a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution

refugeeism

ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē-ˌi-zəm 

ˈre-fyu̇-ˌjē-

noun

Synonyms of refugee

• exile
• fugitive
• alien
• émigré
• expatriate

Examples of refugee in a Sentence

Thousands of refugees have fled the area.

refugees began returning to their homeland after years of political unrest and war

Recent Examples on the Web

For Native people, the war marked a dangerous fork in the road, stirring famine, spurring a massive refugee crisis, and permanently shifting the balance of power in the heart of the continent. —Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025

There were just over 100,000 refugees and asylum-seekers registered in Libya as of October. —Mick Krever, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025

Among those highlighted will be Amanda, a refugee and the first Miss Trans Global Uganda; Sarah, who overcame sight loss to support LGBTQ+ people with disabilities while running marathons; and Leo, a speaker and life coach with dyskinetic cerebral palsy. —Sophie Williams, Billboard, 6 Nov. 2025

Remembering Kayla Kayla Mueller was a 26-year-old humanitarian aid worker from Arizona who was kidnapped by ISIS in 2013 while helping Syrian refugees near the Turkish border. —Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French réfugié, past participle of (se) réfugier to take refuge, from Middle French refugier, from Latin refugium

First Known Use

1685, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

refugee

noun

ref·​u·​gee ˌref-yu̇-ˈjē 

ˈref-yu̇-ˌjē

: a person who flees for safety especially to a foreign country

Etymology

from French réfugié, past participle of réfugier "to put in a place of safety," from Latin refugium "a refuge," from refugere "to run away from, escape," from re- "again, against" and fugere "to run away, flee" — related to centrifugal, fugitive

Legal Definition

refugee

noun

ref·​u·​gee ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē 

: an individual seeking refuge or asylum

especially : an individual who has left his or her native country and is unwilling or unable to return to it because of persecution or fear of persecution (as because of race, religion, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion)