refugees

noun

plural of refugee
as in exiles
a person forced to emigrate for political reasons refugees began returning to their homeland after years of political unrest and war

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 refugees Little Saigon developed in the 1970s and ’80s, as refugees from South Vietnam fled the aftermath of the Vietnam War and moved to Southern California. — Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2026 American sentiment was turning against newcomers, whether Vietnamese refugees, Cuban and Haitian boat people, Central Americans fleeing civil wars or Mexicans looking for economic opportunity. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 During the seven years that it was occupied by British forces, Manhattan had been ravaged by fires, picked over by looters, covered in fortifications, and swollen with refugees. — Eric Lach, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026 The refugees have increasingly become targets of anti-Ukrainian rhetoric. — ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026 The location once served as an asylum center for Cuban refugees and is now a museum dedicated to Cuban history. — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 As conditions deteriorate, some refugees are risking deadly 1,000-mile journeys by boat to Malaysia. — Lorcan Lovett, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026 Many chefs who come here are immigrants, refugees, or minority business owners taking on the industry's high overhead. — Joshua Cole, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refugees
  1. exiles
  2. aliens
  3. evacuees
  4. expatriates
Noun
  • Avila was born in Hialeah to exiles who left Castro’s repressive regime in Cuba — a biography certain to resonate in South Florida.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The Iranian regime has been killing troublesome exiles since the Islamic Revolution, in 1979.
    — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of exiles
Noun
  • Once again, we’re shown Blunt’s character being hijacked by aliens mid-weather report, uttering an alien language of clicks and pops.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 May 2026
Definition of aliens
Noun
  • Casinos in Reno offered discounts on hotel rooms to evacuees.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Rocky Ripple town council president Randy Sanders told evacuees that the evacuation could last until tomorrow evening — or longer.
    — Tilly Robinson, IndyStar, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of evacuees
Noun
  • Likewise, the Relief Procedures for Certain Former Citizens provides a pathway for eligible former citizens with minimal tax liability to resolve outstanding filing obligations without becoming covered expatriates.
    — Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of expatriates

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Cite this Entry

“Refugees.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refugees. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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