Exile meaning, definition, and synonyms

Exile usually refers to being forced to leave one’s country or home, or to the state of living away from it. It can also be used as a verb meaning to send someone away from a country.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Pronunciation

AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).

Accent: General American English

IPA: /ˈɛgzaɪl/

Easy pronunciation: EGG-zyle (approximate spelling).

Stress: Stress the first syllable.

Noun meaning being forced to live away from your native country or home.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Exile Meaning

being made to live away from your country or home

Part of speech: noun

Definition: the state of being forced to live away from one’s native country or home

Example: After the coup, the writer lived in exile for many years.

Synonyms for this meaning:

expatriation — Can fit this sense, though it may also suggest voluntary residence abroad.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Other Meanings of Exile

Meaning 2

someone living away from home or their country by choice

Part of speech: noun

Definition: a person who is voluntarily absent from home or country

Example: She became an exile in Paris after leaving her homeland.

Synonyms for this meaning:

expat — Common in modern English, but more informal and usually suggests voluntary living abroad.
expatriate — Works for someone living abroad, often by choice.

Meaning 3

to force someone to leave a country

Part of speech: verb

Definition: expel from a country

Example: The government exiled the dissident after the protest.

Synonyms for this meaning:

deport — A strong match for forcing someone out of a country.
expatriate — Can mean send abroad or live abroad, but is less natural than deport in this sense.

Meaning 4

someone forced to leave their country or home

Part of speech: noun

Definition: a person who is expelled from home or country by authority

Example: The exiles returned home after the war.

Synonyms for this meaning:

deportee — A person who has been deported; more specific and less common than exile.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Exile Synonyms

Similar Meaning

expatriation

a person living away from home or country by choice

expat
expatriate

to force someone to leave a country

deport

a person expelled from a country by authority

deportee

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Common Mistakes

Exile is often confused with expat, but expat usually means someone living abroad by choice, not someone forced out.
The verb exile means to send someone away, not to live somewhere abroad.
Deportation is the process; exile is the condition or person, depending on the sense.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does exile mean?

Exile usually means being forced to live away from your country or home. It can also mean a person who is living away from home or has been sent away.

What is a synonym for exile?

For the main noun sense, a close synonym is expatriation, though it is not a perfect match. For the verb sense, deport is the clearest synonym.

Is exile the same as expat?

No. Expat usually suggests living in another country by choice, while exile usually involves being forced to leave or stay away.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.