deportation

noun

de·​por·​ta·​tion ˌdē-ˌpȯr-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce deportation (audio)
-pər-
1
: an act or instance of deporting
2
: the removal from a country of an alien whose presence is unlawful or prejudicial

Examples of deportation in a Sentence

the deportation of the Jews from Spain in 1492
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
On May 21, a federal judge in Boston ruled the administration violated a court order preventing deportation of migrants to countries not their own without adequate time to challenge the move. Zac Anderson, USA Today, 23 May 2025 The Supreme Court earlier in May barred the administration from quickly resuming deportations of Venezuelans under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025 The federal judge issued the preliminary injunction after the administration moved to tamper with students’ SEVIS records, putting them at risk of deportation. Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 22 May 2025 That said, a federal judge in southern Texas has temporarily paused deportations from his district under the Alien Enemies Act. Henry Gass, Christian Science Monitor, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for deportation

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deportation was in 1595

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Cite this Entry

“Deportation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deportation. Accessed 30 May. 2025.

Legal Definition

deportation

noun
de·​por·​ta·​tion ˌdē-ˌpōr-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce deportation (audio)
: an act or instance of deporting
specifically : the removal from a country of an alien whose presence is illegal or detrimental to the public welfare compare exclusion

More from Merriam-Webster on deportation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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