deportation

noun

de·​por·​ta·​tion ˌdē-ˌpȯr-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce deportation (audio)
-pər-
plural deportations
Synonyms of deportationnext
: an act or instance of deporting
especially : the removal from a country by an executive government agency of a foreign-born noncitizen (such as one whose presence violates immigration laws or is ruled detrimental to the public welfare)

Synonyms of deportation

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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.
But no one has brought up anything about a deportation order or appearance notice, according to her. — Conor Wight, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026 If denaturalization and deportation are on the table, the calculus will be different for would-be witnesses weighing whether to testify against terrorist organizations that are still active in their home countries, the former official said. — Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2026 The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to unfreeze a Biden-era policy that allowed immigration judges to use their discretion to temporarily close deportation cases for immigrants. — ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026 By the beginning of 1953, four hundred UN employees with permanent immigration visas faced a rising threat of deportation. — Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deportation

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deportation was in 1595

Rhymes for deportation

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Browse Nearby Words

deportable
deportation
deportee
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Cite this Entry

“Deportation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deportation. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about deportation

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