refugee

refugee — noun

1. someone who escapes their own country when war, violence, or persecution makes s

1.nounB1
Definition

someone who escapes their own country when war, violence, or persecution makes staying there impossible or life-threatening

Example

A refugee camp was set up near the border to house the arriving families.

passive: be set up for describing establishment of a camp

The Khoury family lived as refugees in a small tent for almost two years.

collocation: live as a refugee

Common collocations
  • refugee camp
  • refugee status
  • refugee crisis
  • refugee from + [country/region]
  • grant refugee status
  • political refugee
  • war refugee
  • refugee family
  • refugee children
Synonyms
  • asylum seeker

    Someone who has applied for refugee status but whose claim has not yet been approved; a refugee has already been granted protection.

  • displaced person

    A broader term that includes anyone forced from their home, whether inside their own country (internally displaced) or across a border.

  • exile

    Often implies a political element and can be voluntary or imposed. An exile may retain a connection to their home country in a way a refugee typically cannot.

Antonyms
  • citizen

    A person with full legal rights and membership in a country, which a refugee has lost or never had in their home country.

Grammar Patterns

refugee + from + [country/region]

refugee + in/in + [country]

Usage Note

Under international law, refugee has a specific legal definition. It refers to someone who has fled their country due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. A person does not become a refugee simply by leaving their home — they must meet these legal criteria or be officially granted refugee status.

Common Mistakes

My cousin became a refugee when she moved to Taipei for college.
My cousin became a refugee after armed groups took over her town.
A refugee flees war or persecution, not a lifestyle change like studying abroad.
He is an economic refugee from Brazil.
He is an economic migrant from Brazil.
People who leave for better jobs or living conditions are migrants, not refugees.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

The five terms differ mainly in legal status and motivation for movement. A refugee (B1) is forced to leave their country because of war, violence, or persecution, and is protected by international law under the 1951 Refugee Convention. An asylum seeker (B2) has fled their country and formally applied for refugee status but is still waiting for a decision on their claim — they may or may not be recognised as refugees. A displaced person (C1) is a broader term covering anyone forced from their home; if they stay inside their own country, they are called an internally displaced person (IDP), not a refugee. A migrant (B1) chooses to move, usually for work, education, or family reasons, and can return home safely if they wish. An immigrant (B1) is a migrant who settles permanently in a new country. For example: The war produced millions of refugees and internally displaced persons. People seeking better jobs are migrants, not refugees, even if both groups cross borders.

refugee ↗asylum seekerdisplaced personmigrant ↗immigrant ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • seek refuge
  • grant refugee status
  • political refugee
  • war refugee
  • refugee application

Prepositions

  • refugee from
  • refugee in

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Refugee entered English in the late 1600s, borrowed from French 'réfugié', meaning 'one who has taken shelter'. The French word comes from the verb 'réfugier' (to take refuge), which traces back to Latin 'refugium' (a place to flee back to), formed from 're-' (back) and 'fugere' (to flee). The term was first used for French Protestants (Huguenots) who fled religious persecution in France after the Edict of Nantes was revoked in 1685.