EXILES Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

exiles 1 of 2

noun

plural of exile

as in expulsions

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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as in refugees

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

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exiles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of exile

as in banishes

to force to leave a country with their conquest of the Moors complete, Ferdinand and Isabella next exiled the Jews from Spain

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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 exiles

Noun

Pure catharsis that exiles can dedicate in the name of those silenced on the island. — Sarah Moreno august 7, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026 In his brutal eight-year reign, Amin was estimated by exiles and human rights groups to have caused the deaths of at least 300,000 people and expelled the country’s Asian population. — Andrew Fifield, New York Times, 30 July 2026 In hard years, Noe Terrebonne, the great-great-grandson of Acadian exiles, would do a bit of smuggling for Li Shan, the Chinese proprietor of a shrimp-drying platform on Bayou Andre, in the marsh north-west of Cheniere Disparue. — Literary Hub, 16 July 2026 In the 1930s and 1940s, postrevolutionary Mexico emerged as both an incubator of modern art and haven for European refugees, political exiles and other expats. — Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026 Many Latinos, including Cubans and Cuban Americans living in the United States, were in favor of this action, especially the old generation of Miami Cuban and Venezuelan exiles who have long supported the Republican Party. — Juan Carlos Albarran, The Conversation, 13 July 2026 However, the most pressing issue facing Tibetan exiles is the looming gap in leadership. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 July 2026 Is an invasion by Cuban exiles at the Bay of Pigs the next move? — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 20 June 2026 The estranged daughter of Fidel Castro has never entirely felt at peace here, in a city of exiles, despite being one herself. — Christine Armario, Washington Post, 19 June 2026

Verb

This practice exiles him completely from the realm of literary fiction; some might even question whether Patterson is really a writer. — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for exiles

Noun

Spanish authorities call the surge a violation of territorial integrity and a humanitarian crisis, blaming human-trafficking networks and confusion over a recent Supreme Court ruling on migrant expulsions.

— Sergio Rodrigo Ruíz, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026
Across the country, data shows Black students have been more likely to receive punishments that remove them from the classroom, such as suspensions, expulsions and transfers to alternative schools.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026

Definition of expulsions

Noun

Its floors filled with bunk beds, a prison and hospital, all deep underground, have been repurposed over the years as overflow housing for refugees, asylum seekers and the homeless.

— Rob Schmitz, NPR, 8 Aug. 2026
Steven Spielberg’s personal masterpiece is the saga of Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), who saved the lives of hundreds of Jewish refugees in Poland during the Holocaust.

— Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of refugees

Verb

That is why, when Diana falls in love with Lalo, the King simply banishes him.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026
Mary appears to have a form of treatment-resistant schizophrenia, until chemotherapy, following a diagnosis of lymphoma, banishes her psychiatric symptoms.

— Julia M. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of banishes

Noun

Trump has sought to restrict birthright citizenship as part of a sweeping, hardline immigration agenda centered around mass deportations.

— Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
In the brutal and swift pursuit of its ambition to achieve 100 million deportations—approaching a third of our nation’s population—this deportation force has fundamentally reshaped American life.

— Naureen Shah, Time, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of deportations

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“Exiles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exiles. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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noun

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