Expatriate: meaning, definitions and examples

This term is best used when referring to someone who lives outside their native country, often for a prolonged period, and especially if they maintain a strong connection with their homeland.

• She became an expatriate after securing a job in Paris.
• The expatriate community in Tokyo organizes regular cultural events.

Use this term when the focus is on the person leaving their home country to live permanently in another. It highlights the departure aspect.

• The emigrant left his homeland in search of better opportunities.
• During the early 20th century, many emigrants moved from Europe to America.

This term is appropriate when discussing someone who has moved to a new country to live there permanently, with the focus on the arrival aspect.

• As an immigrant, she worked hard to adapt to life in her new country.
• The government is developing new policies to support immigrants.

This word is suitable for describing someone who moves from one place to another, often within a country or temporarily, and may include seasonal workers.

• Migrant workers play a crucial role in the agriculture industry.
• The town has seen an influx of migrants looking for work.

Used to describe someone who has voluntarily left their home country to live in another, often for work or personal reasons.

• She became an expatriate after accepting a job offer in Switzerland.
• Expatriates often face challenges adjusting to new cultures.

Often used to describe a person who is forced to live away from their home country, usually for political reasons. It can be voluntary or involuntary but carries a sense of separation and loss.

• The poet spent many years in exile after the revolution.
• She was exiled due to her political beliefs.

Used when someone is formally or informally forced to leave a place, often with a negative connotation implying punishment.

• The king decided to banish the traitor from the kingdom.
• He was banished from the community for breaking the rules.

Used in legal or governmental contexts when a foreigner is legally forced to leave a country because of violation of laws or regulations.

• The government decided to deport the illegal immigrants.
• After his visa expired, he was deported back to his home country.