emigration

noun

em·​i·​gra·​tion ˌe-mə-ˈgrā-shən How to pronounce emigration (audio)
plural emigrations
Synonyms of emigrationnext
: an act or instance of emigrating : departure from a place of abode, natural home, or country for life or residence elsewhere
… with the advent of steamships, by the 1880s intensive emigration had spread from every corner of the globe.B. S. Rabinowitz
Further Chinese emigration to Taiwan was to be carefully limited.Jonathan D. Spence

Examples of emigration in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Authoritarian states have learned to insulate themselves from diaspora pressure while simultaneously using emigration as a safety valve, turning potential dissidents into remittance-senders – as Cuba did by abolishing exit visas in 2013. Michael Paarlberg, The Conversation, 12 Feb. 2026 The hardships sparked mass emigration and economic collapse, leaving an even deeper mark — one that still surfaces in quiet dinners with strangers like us. Marlise Kast-Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026 After Hugo Chávez’s election in 1998, net emigration from Venezuela began to increase. Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2026 An aging population and declining birth rate are existential issues in Italy, but emigration further stretches the ratio in rural areas like this. Adam Erace, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for emigration

Word History

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of emigration was in 1614

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Cite this Entry

“Emigration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emigration. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

Medical Definition

emigration

noun
em·​i·​gra·​tion ˌem-ə-ˈgrā-shən How to pronounce emigration (audio)

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