exile

1 of 2

noun

ex·​ile ˈeg-ˌzī(-ə)l  ˈek-ˌsī(-ə)l 

1

a

: the state or a period of forced absence from one's country or home

b

: the state or a period of voluntary absence from one's country or home

2

: a person who is in exile

exilic

eg-ˈzi-lik 

adjective

exile

2 of 2

verb

exiled; exiling

transitive verb

: to banish or expel from one's own country or home

Synonyms

Noun

• banishment
• deportation
• displacement
• expatriation
• expulsion
• relegation

Verb

• banish
• deport
• displace
• expatriate
• relegate
• transport

Choose the Right Synonym for exile

banish, exile, deport, transport mean to remove by authority from a state or country.

banish implies compulsory removal from a country not necessarily one's own.

banished for seditious activities

exile may imply compulsory removal or an enforced or voluntary absence from one's own country.

a writer who exiled himself for political reasons

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

transport implies sending a convicted criminal to an overseas penal colony.

a convict who was transported to Australia

Examples of exile in a Sentence

Noun

They hoped that his exile would be temporary.

Many chose to live as exiles rather than face persecution.

Verb

with their conquest of the Moors complete, Ferdinand and Isabella next exiled the Jews from Spain

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Foundation, which last dropped a fresh episode back in September 2023, follows a band of exiles on their journey to save humanity and rebuild civilization amid the fall of the Galactic Empire. —Rebecca Luther, TVLine, 7 May 2025

Based on Isaac Asimov’s trilogy, season 3 continues the epic chronicle of a band of exiles on their monumental journey to save humanity and rebuild civilization amid the fall of the Galactic Empire. —Denise Petski, Deadline, 7 May 2025

Verb

With Waltz exiled to New York, Rubio must keep striving to keep Trump and the U.S. government true to friends like Ukraine and wary of deals with Putin. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 2 May 2025

His older sons had become enthusiastic crypto proponents after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol effectively exiled the family business from the mainstream financial system. —Eric Lipton, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English exil, from Anglo-French essil, exil, from Latin exilium, from exul, exsul an exile

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing exile

• tax exile

Rhymes for exile

• argyle
• awhile
• beguile
• compile
• condyle
• defile
• erstwhile
• freestyle
• gentile
• hairstyle
• lifestyle
• meanwhile

Kids Definition

exile

1 of 2 noun

ex·​ile ˈeg-ˌzīl  ˈek-ˌsīl 

1

a

: an act or instance of being forced to leave one's country or home

also : voluntary absence from one's country or home

b

: the state of one so absent

2

: a person who is in exile

exile

2 of 2 verb

exiled; exiling

: to force to leave one's own country or home