Thesaurus results for REFUGEE

refugee

noun

ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē

Definition of refugee

as in exile

a person forced to emigrate for political reasons refugees began returning to their homeland after years of political unrest and war

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 refugee The other, born in Chicago, is the daughter of Vietnamese refugees and grew up in the ethnically diverse neighborhood of Rogers Park. — Andrea Sáenz, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2026 In the 33 years since then, the Peshmerga never became refugees again as Barzani vowed. — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 Swinehart left his role as founder of Project 658, a nonprofit that provides sustainable, holistic care to refugees resettling in the Charlotte area, to join Charlotte FC. — Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2026 Next up, Gao will appear in the European refugee drama Becoming Capa alongside Anora’s Mark Eydelshteyn, per Variety. — Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for refugee

Recent Examples of Synonyms for refugee

Noun

Between 2020 and 2025, fewer than 90 Tibetans were received as refugees in India, the Central Tibetan Administration, Tibet’s government in exile, told CNN.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
There’s considerable curiosity surrounding the 51-year-old’s return to the Big Ten after a three-year exile following his ouster at alma mater Northwestern in July 2023 following an investigation into hazing allegations in his program.

— The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 31 July 2026

Definition of exile

Noun

One month after the arrest warrant was issued, Satary failed to appear at a court hearing in Louisiana, and he was then deemed a fugitive.

— Angie DiMichele, Sun Sentinel, 25 July 2026
Soon, Stewie becomes a fugitive ready to kill anyone who stands in his way, going so far as to take over the entire nation.

— Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 25 July 2026

Definition of fugitive

Noun

Adding to the challenge was the fact that, these days, even many Japanese find the old-style samurai genre alien as much as does the Westerner.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026
Ruaridh Aldington joins season two of Starfleet Academy as a series regular playing Keats, a young alien our cadets encounter on an away mission who possesses a mysterious backstory.

— Rick Ellis, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

Definition of alien

Noun

His success in the States landed him on the Israeli reality series The Americans, which follows Israeli expatriates chasing the American dream in the United States.

— Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026
The club’s members, including an industrialist and his expatriate niece, the president and his pampered wife, and a slew of Chinese tourists, engage in a complex dance with the doting and subservient staff.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 July 2026

Definition of expatriate

Browse Nearby Words

refuged

refugee

refugees

See all Nearby Words

Articles Related to refugee

Cite this Entry

Style

“Refugee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refugee. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of refugee

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Must an 'Immigrant' Also Be an...

The Origin of 'Refugee'

Word of the Year Retrospective

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on refugee

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

élan

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes