Siberia
Americannoun
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Russian Sibir. an extensive region in the Russian Federation in N Asia, extending from the Ural Mountains to the Pacific.
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any undesirable or isolated locale, job, etc., to which one is assigned as punishment, a mark of disfavor, or the like.
noun
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As a consequence of Siberia's harsh conditions and its historical function as a place of punishment, to be “sent to Siberia” has become a metaphor for demotion, disgrace, or other forms of status diminution.
Known for its vast space, long and severely cold winters, and few inhabitants widely scattered in small settlements, Siberia has been for many centuries a place of political and criminal exile for Russians who anger the government's authorities.
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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.
As for concerns about why there might be plague in a test tube in Siberia: the lack of transparency from Russia is worrying for biosecurity experts.
From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2026
It was in response to an outbreak in the 1920s that the Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East, was founded just over 100 years ago.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Russian authorities investigating the death of a woman who worked at a plague research institute in Siberia are coming under growing international pressure to explain how she died.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
Reports of a plague laboratory worker's death in Siberia have caused waves of speculation outside Russia, but in the city where she worked, many appeared unfazed.
From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026
I preferred the thought of Siberia, if that’s where Papa would be.
From "Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
