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Showing results for self-exile. Search instead for self-exist.

self-exile

American  
[self-eg-zahyl, -ek-sahyl, self-] / ˈsɛlfˈɛg zaɪl, -ˈɛk saɪl, ˌsɛlf- /

noun

  1. a state of exile imposed by oneself.

  2. a person who lives voluntarily as an exile.


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of self-exile

First recorded in 1820–30

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.

See Examples For:

Post-release he lives in self-exile in Bangkok, communing online with clients back in Myanmar.

From Barron's Dec. 21, 2025

You feel the exhilaration of veering off the path, the self-exile of speeding toward nowhere, the dread that this caravan has veered too far for its own safety.

From Los Angeles Times Nov. 12, 2025

From when she first read a script for “Drift” in 2015, Cynthia Erivo committed herself to ensuring that this small-scale drama about self-exile, scars and healing get made.

From Los Angeles Times Dec. 11, 2023

He went into self-exile in Jordan before returning and founding the Gerindra Party in early 2008.

From Seattle Times Nov. 27, 2023

He had left his home, Corinth, where he was held to be the son of the King, Polybus, and the reason for his self-exile was another Delphic oracle.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

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