Synonym Chooser

How does the verb deport contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of deport are banish, exile, and transport. While all these words mean "to remove by authority from a state or country," 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

When might banish be a better fit than deport?

In some situations, the words banish and deport are roughly equivalent. However, banish implies compulsory removal from a country not necessarily one's own.

banished for seditious activities

When is it sensible to use exile instead of deport?

The synonyms exile and deport are sometimes interchangeable, but exile may imply compulsory removal or an enforced or voluntary absence from one's own country.

a writer who exiled himself for political reasons

When is transport a more appropriate choice than deport?

The meanings of transport and deport largely overlap; however, transport implies sending a convicted criminal to an overseas penal colony.

a convict who was transported to Australia

Examples Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of deport Even if Musk were found to have violated the law, he would not be summarily deported. Tim Marchman, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2024 But there’s also a real risk that deporting millions of undocumented workers – if that were even possible – would cause wages to surge and that would lift prices for consumers. Matt Egan, CNN, 30 Oct. 2024 If feasible, the cost to deport even 1 million undocumented immigrants a year would cost over $88 billion, for a total of $967.9 billion over more than 10 years, according to a new report from the American Immigration Council. Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2024 Trump has promised to deport 11 million people, mostly to Latin America — though experts are dubious that such a feat is even feasible. New York Times, 3 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for deport 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deport
Verb
  • Unlike many other employees who bring discrimination cases, Hamby wasn’t fired, denied a raise, passed over for a promotion, downgraded in influence or exiled to another company office.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 19 Aug. 2024
  • Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Dharamshala is best known internationally as the seat of the Dalai Lama, who has been based there since being exiled from Tibet in 1959.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Paxton was later acquitted of the allegations by the Texas Senate in a vote that was mostly along party lines and Paul was never called to testify.
    John C. Moritz, Austin American-Statesman, 15 Nov. 2024
  • It was last invoked in 1992 during riots in Los Angeles after police officers were acquitted for the beating of Rodney King.
    Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 2 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Tribal leaders had banished Chasing Horse in 2015 from the reservation amid allegations of human trafficking.
    CBS News, CBS News, 31 Oct. 2024
  • Those found guilty of habitual funny cowboy dancing are either executed or banished to the Desolate Zone, where they are forced to get jobs and raise families.
    Jack Handey, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Brian Hudson of Fayetteville carries his daughter, Sedona Hudson-Deputy, 2, Friday during the ceremonial flipping of the light switch for the 31st season of Lights of the Ozarks on the Fayetteville downtown square.
    J.T. Wampler, arkansasonline.com, 23 Nov. 2024
  • Made and used primarily in France and England, these small metal flower holders were carried by women attending the theater, opera and balls or calling on friends.
    Carol A. Grissom, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Perhaps nothing better illustrated the Bruins’ offseason makeover than the mainstay from a year ago being relegated to a bit player as part of this new ensemble cast.
    Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Rounding out the Top 5 was Bob’s Burgers, relegating Bluey to sixth place.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Go down 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers), and the hot, dense gas begins to behave strangely.
    Benjamin Roulston, Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2024
  • And, as today’s email reminds us, there’s no reason to expect Trump to behave any differently if elected to a second term.
    Zach Everson, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The City Council took a step toward eliminating a rule that allows renters to be evicted when landlords carry out major renovations of their buildings.
    Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
  • After the assaults, the bombardment died down, possibly indicating the Ukrainians had evicted local Russian forces.
    David Axe, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • To avoid being dragged into yet more conflict in the Middle East, the United States must work to restrain further Israeli action and stabilize the balance of power.
    Carrie A. Lee, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2024
  • While Biden's policies and weapons provisions have consistently supported Israel, his relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has at times been strained, including by some efforts to restrain Israel or nudge the country toward compliance with international law.
    Freddie Clayton, NBC News, 9 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near deport

Cite this Entry

“Deport.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deport. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on deport

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!