refugees

NOUN

person running from something, often oppression

Synonyms

STRONGEST

alien displaced person emigrant evacuee exile expatriate foreigner

STRONG

DP castaway defector derelict deserter escapee foundling fugitive leper maroon outcast outlaw prodigal renegade runaway

WEAK

boat person expellee homeless person stateless person émigré

Antonyms

STRONGEST

citizen national native

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“My parents are Hungarian refugees from communism,” Hilton said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Restrictions on eligibility for asylees, refugees and victims of human trafficking under Section 10108 are expected to affect roughly 90,000 people per month — those already living at the margins of the margins.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

Sharaa said Syria would never forget how Germany had opened its doors to refugees during the civil war.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

Far fewer North Korean refugees make it to South Korea these days than did in the past.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

“I heard word that there are thousands of refugees from the North who are heading south. The trains are packed full and the roads are clogged with refugees.”

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh