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 As a result of their findings, Browder was deported from Russia, and Magnitsky was sent to prison, with his arrest and prosecution initiated by Voronin, according to the magazine New Times Russia. Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025 Incoming Trump border czar Tom Homan also said large-scale raids to deport and detain those without legal status are set to begin as soon as Tuesday, focusing on people considered a security or safety threat. Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 20 Jan. 2025 That pales in comparison to the high mark that occurred under President Barack Obama, who deported more than 400,000 people in one year. Zolan Kanno-Youngs, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2025 As homeowners turn to contractors for the slow process of rebuilding, an immigration policy that deports undocumented workers or forces them underground may hinder the recovery. Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for deport 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deport
Verb
  • Around 70 are being exiled abroad as part of the agreement and will not be allowed to return to their homes in the West Bank and Jerusalem, according to a list provided by the Palestinian authorities.
    Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025
  • The cease-fire agreement says all Palestinian prisoners convicted of deadly attacks who are released will be exiled, either to Gaza or abroad, and barred from ever returning to Israel or the West Bank.
    Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Without hard evidence, the jury had enough reasonable doubt to acquit Avery.
    Melissa Gray, NPR, 26 Jan. 2025
  • The two were acquitted, then reconvicted before being definitively acquitted in 2015.
    Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, 23 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The Drag Queen was the first traitor to be caught and banished by the faithfuls.
    Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 17 Jan. 2025
  • And for those with a penchant for Camelot and reality TV competition shows, there’s also a King Arthur roundtable where residents and guests can debate which suspected traitor should be banished next.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • In one, five women in white hanbok, carrying bundles of white laundry on their heads, form a tight, diagonal spiral (in response to gusts of wind?) against dark fields of grass and cropland.
    E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 18 Jan. 2025
  • In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors wrote that despite there being nearly a dozen people inside the boat, the vessel that ultimately capsized was only rated to carry five passengers.
    City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Will seaweed become a dominant new ingredient, or be permanently relegated to side dish status?
    Heide Brandes, thehustle.co, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Finding Angela’s look took longer, partly because she’s relegated to FaceTime appearances for the first three episodes.
    Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Even Agnes, who stands to earn the film an X rating with her carnal extracurricular activities, behaves in ugly ways.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
  • This misperception can contribute to relational tension, as these individuals may overreact or behave defensively, interpreting a neutral response as a form of rejection.
    Mark Travers, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Its owners were evicted in 2019 so the building could be razed for future development, The Charlotte Observer reported at the time.
    Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 15 Jan. 2025
  • The landlord evicted the TGI Fridays franchisee, Orlando Restaurants Inc., in October for nonpayment around the same time the chain’s parent company filed for Chapter 11 reorganization.
    Laura Kinsler, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Personnel restrained Owens and the flight departing from that gate was delayed, according to the statement.
    Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Jan. 2025
  • When Collins swatted Acevedo’s hand away, he was restrained and punched repeatedly by Zapata for about nine seconds until other officers intervened, urging their supervisor to back down.
    Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near deport

Cite this Entry

“Deport.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deport. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

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