deportation
Americannoun
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the lawful expulsion of an alien or other person from a country.
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an act or instance of deporting.
noun
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the act of expelling an alien from a country; expulsion
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the act of transporting someone from his country; banishment
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of deportation
First recorded in 1585–95; from Latin dēportātiōn- (stem of dēportātiō ), equivalent to dēportāt(us) (past participle of dēportāre; see deport, -ate 1) + -iōn- noun suffix; see -ion
Explanation
Deportation is the act of throwing a foreigner out of a country, whether they are a resident or an intruder. If you've ever heard that someone was deported — expelled from a country — then you can probably guess that deportation is the act of that happening. Deportation can involve a resident of a country who is tossed out because of a crime. Often, deportation happens to people who enter a country illegally and are caught. A citizen of a country is usually safe from deportation. Deportation means something close to exile. When you see the word deportation, think “Goodbye.”
Vocabulary lists containing deportation
Human Geography - Middle School
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Human Geography - High School
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Prisoner B-3087
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The new document underlines the long-established principle that the right of family life does not bar deportation and that national courts, rather than Strasbourg, are best placed to work out that balance.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
The tumult has been partly hidden because there has been a significant drop in labor supply, driven by Trump's deportation drive and an ageing population.
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
In April, three months after her deportation to Nicaragua, Urbina received a call from someone claiming to be a lawyer.
From Salon • May 2, 2026
Palantir is the top beneficiary of DHS’s stepped-up spending on deportation and surveillance work, according to a Journal review of government records, contracts, documents describing privacy concerns and people familiar with the matter.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
The action likely saved many Jews from arrest and deportation to the extermination camps.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
