refugee
noun
ref·u·gee
ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē 
ˈre-fyu̇-ˌjē
: one that flees
especially
: a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution
Synonyms
Examples of refugee in a Sentence
Thousands of refugees have fled the area.
refugees began returning to their homeland after years of political unrest and war
Recent Examples on the Web
Renegotiate international refugee rules to provide protections for people displaced by climate change and welcome them to the U.S.
Install a climate envoy in every major embassy around the world.
—
Alex Thompson, Axios, 3 Nov. 2024
If the refugees’ needs continue to go unmet, Hezbollah could lose support.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024
This transformation has been happening for decades across the 58 refugee camps run by UNRWA in the Palestinian territories and elsewhere in the region, as tent camps became residential blocks.
—Mick Krever, CNN, 3 Nov. 2024
Some refugees have fled their homes only to stumble into even more dangerous places.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for refugee 
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Alex Thompson, Axios, 3 Nov. 2024
If the refugees’ needs continue to go unmet, Hezbollah could lose support.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024
This transformation has been happening for decades across the 58 refugee camps run by UNRWA in the Palestinian territories and elsewhere in the region, as tent camps became residential blocks.
—Mick Krever, CNN, 3 Nov. 2024
Some refugees have fled their homes only to stumble into even more dangerous places.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for refugee
Dictionary Entries Near refugee
Cite this Entry
“Refugee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refugee. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
refugee
noun
ref·u·gee
ˌref-yu̇-ˈjē
ˈref-yu̇-ˌjē
: a person who flees for safety especially to a foreign country
Etymology
from French réfugié, past participle of réfugier "to put in a place of safety," from Latin refugium "a refuge," from refugere "to run away from, escape," from re- "again, against" and fugere "to run away, flee" — related to centrifugal, fugitive
Legal Definition
refugee
noun
ref·u·gee
ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē
: an individual seeking refuge or asylum
especially
: an individual who has left his or her native country and is unwilling or unable to return to it because of persecution or fear of persecution (as because of race, religion, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion)
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