exile 1 of 2

1
as in expulsion
the forced removal from a homeland the exile of French settlers from Nova Scotia resulted in the birth of the Cajun community in the U.S.

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in refugee
a person forced to emigrate for political reasons after being overthrown in a coup, the dictator spent the remainder of his life as an exile in a string of less-than-welcoming countries

Synonyms & Similar Words

exile

2 of 2

verb

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How does the verb exile contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of exile are banish, deport, and transport. While all these words mean "to remove by authority from a state or country," exile may imply compulsory removal or an enforced or voluntary absence from one's own country.

a writer who exiled himself for political reasons

When would banish be a good substitute for exile?

The synonyms banish and exile are sometimes interchangeable, but banish implies compulsory removal from a country not necessarily one's own.

banished for seditious activities

When is deport a more appropriate choice than exile?

Although the words deport and exile have much in common, deport implies sending out of the country an alien who has illegally entered or whose presence is judged inimical to the public welfare.

illegal aliens will be deported

When might transport be a better fit than exile?

The words transport and exile can be used in similar contexts, but transport implies sending a convicted criminal to an overseas penal colony.

a convict who was transported to Australia

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of exile
Noun
This radio, like the others, is staffed by exiles, eager to provide accurate information to people back home. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 1 Apr. 2025 The 34-year-old exile was working for the British consulate in Hong Kong when Beijing tightened its grip on the region. Cora Engelbrecht, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2025
Verb
Machines have now been exiled to a place called the Exclusion Zone, which resembles a Palm Springs scrapyard. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2025 Democrats shall not exile themselves into the political wilderness while Trump runs roughshod over American institutions. Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exile
Noun
  • To protect themselves from the threat of expulsion, migrants are expected to profess uncompromising loyalty.
    Viet Thanh Nguyễn, Time, 28 Apr. 2025
  • In subsequent months, students who participated in the demonstrations have faced suspension, expulsion and, for some international students, removal from the country.
    Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Israeli officials have rejected that definition, arguing that descendants don’t qualify as refugees and thus don’t have the right to return to their ancestral homes in what is now Israel.
    Eugenia Yosef and Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Hundreds of Vietnamese refugees from San Diego and Orange counties attended the ceremony, and many were joined by their children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren.
    David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Rather than continuing to banish one another, the four decided to end the game and split the $204,300 cash prize four ways.
    Esther Kang, People.com, 21 Apr. 2025
  • On his third shift, after chants of LAN-DY had long rained upon the golden-haired forward, Landeskog hooked a Silver Knight and was banished for two minutes.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • In January, Long Beach strengthened its sanctuary city law, which was passed in 2018, by allocating city funds to help provide legal services for people fighting deportation.
    Soumya Karlamangla, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
  • The company’s stock has jumped 54% since January 17, the strongest return of any company listed on the S&P 500, though the firm has faced criticism over a $30 million contract with ICE on a program to assist the agency in deportations.
    Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The goal of the project is to position women as central figures, as many ancient texts and paintings traditionally depict male heroism, while women are often relegated to mere decoration and reproductive roles.
    Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
  • What’s worse is that the mouth is sometimes treated as a separate entity from the rest of the body, relegated to the care of dentists, and often excluded from broader discussions about systemic health.
    Chris Gallagher, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The families were disappeared, cut off from their lawyers and loved ones, and rushed to be deported, stripping their parents of the chance to protect their U.S. citizen children.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Apr. 2025
  • President Trump has invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which lets the president deport noncitizens 14 years or older who are from a country with which the U.S. is at war.
    John Raby, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Every barrel is transported via the 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline System to the port of Valdez, where it is loaded onto tanker ships.
    Brett Watson, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2025
  • He was arrested and transported to Troop G in Bridgeport where he was charged with violation of protective order, improper use of a registration plate and operating a motor vehicle without a valid license.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 23 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Exile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exile. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

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