expulsion from one's native land by authoritative decree.
the fact or state of expulsion from one's native land by authoritative decree.
She had to live in exile.
a person banished from their native land.
prolonged separation from one's country or home, such as by force of circumstances.
Many will suffer wartime exile.
anyone separated from their country or home voluntarily or by force of circumstances.
the Exile, the Babylonian captivity of the Jews, 597–538 b.c.
a prolonged, usually enforced absence from one's home or country; banishment
the expulsion of a person from his native land by official decree
a person banished or living away from his home or country; expatriate
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English exil “banishment,” from Latin ex(s)ilium, equivalent to exsul “banished person” + -ium -ium
If you are exiled from a place, you must leave and not return. Such punishment is called exile. For example, after he was removed from power, Napoleon lived in exile on the island of Elba. The verb exile comes from the Old French word essillier, meaning “banish, expel, or drive off.” However, some people who live in exile do so happily — and voluntarily — like American citizens in exile in Paris. Don't confuse being exiled with being banned: exile is for countries. If you cause trouble at a restaurant, you might be banned from returning, not exiled.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His gushing about being another Napoleon allows me to note that a couple of years ago I suggested the only way to handle Donald Trump was to exile him to a nice island somewhere.
From Salon • Jul. 6, 2026
Her legal team described the businessman as a Russian-born exile and outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, arguing that Pitt’s claims amounted to an inaccurate and xenophobic attempt to discredit him.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 6, 2026
This was the moment, she believed, to return from exile.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 2, 2026
Venezuelan opposition figure Dinorah Figuera told AFP on Friday she is traveling to the United States for meetings, a day after returning from years in exile to initiate dialogue with Venezuela's interim government.
From Barron's • Jun. 19, 2026
So he sent word to Eadgils in exile, and helped him with men and equipment, and plotted a campaign for him.
From "Beowulf: A New Telling" by Robert Nye
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.
