exile
1 of 2noun
ex·ile ˈeg-ˌzī(-ə)l 
ˈek-ˌsī(-ə)l
ˈek-ˌsī(-ə)l 1
a
: the state or a period of forced absence from one's country or home
b
: the state or a period of voluntary absence from one's country or home
2
: a person who is in exile
exilic
eg-ˈzi-lik
adjective exile
2 of 2verb
exiled; exiling
transitive verb
: to banish or expel from one's own country or home
Synonyms
Noun
- banishment
- deportation
- displacement
- expatriation
- expulsion
- relegation
Verb
- banish
- deport
- displace
- expatriate
- relegate
- transport
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun They hoped that his exile would be temporary. Many chose to live as exiles rather than face persecution. Verb with their conquest of the Moors complete, Ferdinand and Isabella next exiled the Jews from Spain
Recent Examples on the Web
Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2022 While daily practices of survival and sustenance are important, refugees need more to create homes in exile. Cathrine Brun, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2022 Faqrul, a garrulous Bengali poet in exile, is the narrator’s first guide to the city and a welcome source of light relief. Anna Mundow, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 Britain is also backing a genocide case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice for its treatment of Rohingya Muslims, and has expressed support for Myanmar’s National Unity Government, a shadow administration operating in exile. Rebecca Tan, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2022 That drama ended, Shakespearean style, with the father in exile and the son elevated to power. Joshua Hammer, Town & Country, 21 Aug. 2022 Daenerys Targaryen, after all, viewed herself not merely as a rightful queen in exile but as a catalyst for seismic change. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 19 Aug. 2022 Zelensky would be dead, captured or in exile, creating a political vacuum for FSB agents to fill. Greg Miller And Catherine Belton, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Aug. 2022 A year after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the Afghanistan women's national soccer team continues to play in exile in Australia. Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2022 Anne Thériault, Longreads, 21 June 2022 In a country where conservative politicians and voters loudly express their concern for Mr. Petro’s leftist roots, some Colombians say that his victory may lead them to exile. Juan Forero, WSJ, 20 June 2022 But then this played out beautifully with him being sent to exile in Italy to live in his shame. Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 10 June 2022 For his revolutionary poetry, Shevchenko was sentenced to exile as a private in the Russian army. Sasha Dovzhyk, CNN, 11 May 2022 The losses of invaders are as nothing next to the sufferings of ordinary Ukrainians, destroyed in their homes or starved to death; forced, if spared, to trek hundreds of miles to exile with only a few handheld bags per family. Nr Editors, National Review, 31 Mar. 2022 Charismatic and earnest, she was adored for her image as a Decembrist’s wife — women who had given up their lives and followed their husbands to exile in Siberia. New York Times, 30 Mar. 2022 Kramer fired him and Foreman, now blacklisted, fled to exile in England. Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Mar. 2022 As part of the deal, Diess was also able to exile a potential rival for the CEO spot. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 9 Dec. 2021 See More
Noun
At a panel discussion, Frolova-Walker, who has lived in the United Kingdom since 1994, said that the Russian assault on Ukraine has changed her perception of Rachmaninoff’s time in exile. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2022 While daily practices of survival and sustenance are important, refugees need more to create homes in exile. Cathrine Brun, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2022 Faqrul, a garrulous Bengali poet in exile, is the narrator’s first guide to the city and a welcome source of light relief. Anna Mundow, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 Britain is also backing a genocide case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice for its treatment of Rohingya Muslims, and has expressed support for Myanmar’s National Unity Government, a shadow administration operating in exile. Rebecca Tan, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2022 That drama ended, Shakespearean style, with the father in exile and the son elevated to power. Joshua Hammer, Town & Country, 21 Aug. 2022 Daenerys Targaryen, after all, viewed herself not merely as a rightful queen in exile but as a catalyst for seismic change. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 19 Aug. 2022 Zelensky would be dead, captured or in exile, creating a political vacuum for FSB agents to fill. Greg Miller And Catherine Belton, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Aug. 2022 A year after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the Afghanistan women's national soccer team continues to play in exile in Australia. Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2022 Verb
Eventually, Edward caved and agreed to strip Piers of his title as earl of Cornwall and exile him. Anne Thériault, Longreads, 21 June 2022 In a country where conservative politicians and voters loudly express their concern for Mr. Petro’s leftist roots, some Colombians say that his victory may lead them to exile. Juan Forero, WSJ, 20 June 2022 But then this played out beautifully with him being sent to exile in Italy to live in his shame. Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 10 June 2022 For his revolutionary poetry, Shevchenko was sentenced to exile as a private in the Russian army. Sasha Dovzhyk, CNN, 11 May 2022 The losses of invaders are as nothing next to the sufferings of ordinary Ukrainians, destroyed in their homes or starved to death; forced, if spared, to trek hundreds of miles to exile with only a few handheld bags per family. Nr Editors, National Review, 31 Mar. 2022 Charismatic and earnest, she was adored for her image as a Decembrist’s wife — women who had given up their lives and followed their husbands to exile in Siberia. New York Times, 30 Mar. 2022 Kramer fired him and Foreman, now blacklisted, fled to exile in England. Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Mar. 2022 As part of the deal, Diess was also able to exile a potential rival for the CEO spot. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 9 Dec. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English exil, from Anglo-French essil, exil, from Latin exilium, from exul, exsul an exile
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing exile
Kids Definition
exile 1 of 2
noun
ex·ile ˈeg-ˌzīl
ˈek-ˌsīl
1
: the situation of a person who is forced to leave his or her own country
He's living in exile.
2
: the period of time someone is forced to live away from his or her country
a 20 year exile
3
: a person who is forced to leave his or her own country
exile
2 of 2verb
exiled; exiling
: to force (someone) to leave his or her own country
exile 1 of 2
noun
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. Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- expulsion
- deportation
- banishment
- emigration
- displacement
- migration
- expatriation
- dispersion
- diaspora
- relegation
- evacuation
- extradition
- ouster
- ejection
- ostracism
- ethnic cleansing
- scattering
- transportation
- dispossession
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- return
- repatriation
- immigration
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
- refugee
- émigré
- emigré
- expatriate
- fugitive
- deportee
- expat
- outcast
- alien
- evacuee
- pariah
- patriot
- loyalist
- castoff
exile
2 of 2verb
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- banish
- relegate
- expatriate
- deport
- transport
- evict
- run out
- kick out
- expel
- cast out
- exclude
- eliminate
- eject
- excommunicate
- dismiss
- displace
- spurn
- expulse
- ostracize
- oust
- throw out
- dispossess
- reject
- repudiate
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- receive
- repatriate
- accept
- shelter
- house
- naturalize
- admit
- take in
- entertain
- harbor
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of exile are banish, deport, and transport. While all these words mean "to remove by authority from a state or country," exile may imply compulsory removal or an enforced or voluntary absence from one's own country.
a writer who exiled himself for political reasons
The synonyms banish and exile are sometimes interchangeable, but banish implies compulsory removal from a country not necessarily one's own.
banished for seditious activities
Although the words deport and exile have much in common, deport implies sending out of the country an alien who has illegally entered or whose presence is judged inimical to the public welfare.
illegal aliens will be deported
The words transport and exile can be used in similar contexts, but transport implies sending a convicted criminal to an overseas penal colony.
a convict who was transported to Australia
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