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
as in to banish
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of exile
Chris Deville, The Atlantic, 6 July 2025
The unexpected, far-away place that Said references is expressed fully, as both a geographical reality and a soul in exile.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 11 July 2025
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 2 July 2025
Jorge Mas Canosa, the father of David Beckham’s co-owners at Inter Miami, Jorge and Jose, was one of many who exiled from Cuba after the rise of Fidel Castro.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for exile
Noun
That film succeeds largely because of its deft presentation of the story’s inherent human drama: Moses and his adoptive brother, Rameses, joke and banter, and when Moses returns from decades in exile, the joy of reuniting and anxiety over how their relationship has changed are palpable.
—Chris Deville, The Atlantic, 6 July 2025
The unexpected, far-away place that Said references is expressed fully, as both a geographical reality and a soul in exile.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 11 July 2025
Verb
And what of Matthias Schoenaerts’ Booker, who was exiled for betraying the Old Guard as part of a bid to cure his eternality?
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 2 July 2025
Jorge Mas Canosa, the father of David Beckham’s co-owners at Inter Miami, Jorge and Jose, was one of many who exiled from Cuba after the rise of Fidel Castro.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for exile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exile
Noun
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The film, released in 1991, explored the expulsion of the Indian minority from Uganda during the reign of Idi Amin.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
25 June 2025
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Police in Surprise told Arizona Family that the students involved had been suspended pending expulsion at the time of the arrests, but declined to offer any further information on the case.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
25 June 2025
Noun
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On January 26, 2023, Israeli soldiers, hidden in the cargo hold of a dairy truck, rode into the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank, where the Magnum photographer Sakir Khader was preparing to leave for his grandmother’s home in Nablus.—
M. Z. Adnan,
New Yorker,
20 July 2025
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In 1999, then-Fort Dix provided temporary shelter to hundreds of Kosovo refugees amid the Kosovo War.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
20 July 2025
Verb
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And Leland was banished forever to a naughty mystical closet at the silent retreat upstate.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
16 July 2025
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With billions of dollars at his disposal and tech masterminds at his service, Luthor sets out to banish Superman from Earth forever.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
14 July 2025
Noun
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Enforcement and Removal Operations deportation officers arrested Phan on June 2.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
22 July 2025
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To date, Boulos is the most high-profile Haitian to be detained by the Trump administration, which in recent months has tried to shorten the deportation protections and work permits for over a half million Haitians temporarily in the United States.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
22 July 2025
Verb
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The drive to save lives cannot be relegated to historical oddity.—
David Miliband,
Time,
21 July 2025
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Hamilton, mostly relegated to low-leverage situations after some early-season struggles, had the Yankees down, 2-0, before recording an out, as Matt Olson and Ronald Acuña Jr. followed Jurickson Profar’s leadoff single with RBI doubles.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
19 July 2025
Verb
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Health care providers told The Associated Press that everything, especially the fear of being arrested or deported, is having a chilling effect on people seeking care.—
Tran Nguyen,
Chicago Tribune,
19 July 2025
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Most – if not all – have been convicted of crimes of varying severity, though many served their full sentences before being deported.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
18 July 2025
Verb
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The woman was treated for a head and leg injury on site before she was transported in an ambulance to a local hospital.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
People.com,
15 July 2025
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She was transported to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead, Bessette said.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exile. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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