migrant

noun

mi·​grant ˈmī-grənt How to pronounce migrant (audio)
plural migrants
: someone or something that migrates: such as
a
: a person who moves regularly in order to find work especially in harvesting crops
farms employing migrants during the growing season
b
: immigrant sense a
especially : refugee
… administration officials announced they would work to swiftly screen migrants seeking asylum at the border … and penalize people who cross illegally into the U.S. or illegally through another country on their way to the U.S. border. Colleen Long
c
: an animal (such as a gray whale, monarch butterfly, leatherback sea turtle, or Canada goose) that moves usually long distances from one habitat or geographic region to another
migrant adjective
migrant labor
migrant birds

Examples of migrant in a Sentence

migrants in search of work on farms Not all birds are migrants.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The crackdown, which also restricts the flow of migrants to the U.S., has served as the biggest factor in a labor force that has shrunk by more than 300,000 since January, said economist Dante DeAntonio of Moody’s Analytics. Paul Davidson, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025 Recently, Venezuelan migrants deported to El Salvador by the Trump administration in March—after previously being sent back to Venezuela last July—reported violence and torture during their three-month stay in prison. Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025 Often in host countries with poor governance a gray economy emerges where undocumented migrants must bribe venal officials for documentation to live or work. Charlie Campbell, Time, 1 Aug. 2025 The Senate overwhelming adopted an amendment offered by Cornyn that requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain migrants without permanent legal status who have been accused of assault on a law enforcement officer. John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for migrant

Word History

Etymology

Latin migrant-, migrans, present participle of migrare

First Known Use

1760, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of migrant was in 1760

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Migrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/migrant. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

migrant

noun
mi·​grant ˈmī-grənt How to pronounce migrant (audio)
: a person, animal, or plant that migrates
migrant adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on migrant

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