refugee
gb/ɹˈɛfjud͡ʒi/ us/ɹˈɛfjud͡ʒi/
B1
English
~ 2900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
Person escaping danger or persecution
Someone who leaves their country because it is not safe to stay there, often because of war or danger.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a refugee from [place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'refugee' with 'immigrant'. Refugees leave because they are forced by danger; immigrants choose to move for other reasons like work or study.
Synonyms
asylum seeker (Specifically someone who is requesting protection in another country but whose claim has not yet been decided.)
|
displaced person (More general term for someone forced to leave their home, not always crossing international borders.)
Antonyms
citizen (A person who legally belongs to and resides in a country, usually with full rights and protections.)
Collocations
refugee camp
|political refugee
|refugee crisis
|refugee status
|refugee resettlement
Themes
migration
|law
|humanitarian
|conflict
|travel
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Thousands of refugees crossed the border seeking safety.
- The government set up shelters for refugees fleeing the conflict.
- She works for an organization that helps refugees find housing.
- The refugee told his story to the international press.
- Refugees often face long waits for legal status.
Learner examples
- The refugee left his home because of war.
- Many refugees live in camps.
- We gave food to the refugees.
- She is a refugee from Syria.
- Refugees need a safe place to stay.
Grammar
Dictionary form
refugee
IPA
GB/ɹˈɛfjud͡ʒi/
US/ɹˈɛfjud͡ʒi/
Syllables & stress
refugee (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (refugee)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: refugee
- Plural: refugees
Word family
Forms
refugees
noun
Core family
refuge
noun B1
Expressions
political refugee
1/pəlˈɪtɪkəl ɹˈɛfjud͡ʒi/
fixed phrase
Person escaping political persecution
Someone who leaves their country because they are in danger for their political ideas.
Examples
- He was granted asylum as a political refugee.
- Political refugees often face imprisonment if they return home.
refugee camp
1/ɹˈɛfjud͡ʒi kˈæmp/
fixed phrase
Temporary shelter for refugees
A place where refugees live in tents or simple buildings for safety.
Examples
- The refugee camp was crowded and lacked clean water.
- Aid workers distributed blankets at the refugee camp.
refugee crisis
1/ɹˈɛfjud͡ʒi kɹˈaɪsəs/
fixed phrase
Large-scale sudden movement of refugees
When many refugees leave their countries at the same time, causing big problems for other countries.
Examples
- The refugee crisis put pressure on neighboring nations.
- Leaders met to discuss how to respond to the refugee crisis.