expatriation

IPA/ˌeks.pæt.riˈeɪ.ʃən/
KK[ɛkspˌetriˈeʃən]IPA/ˌeks.peɪ.triˈeɪ.ʃən/

expatriation — noun

  • expatriationsingular
  • expatriationsplural

1. the act of making a person leave their homeland as punishment, often by strippin

1.nounC1
Definition

the act of making a person leave their homeland as punishment, often by stripping away their citizenship

Example

After the coup, the new regime ordered the expatriation of Mei-Lin within two days.

collocation: ordered the expatriation of [person]

Kwame's expatriation left him without a passport and cut off from his entire family.

expatriation + stripped of rights and connections

Common collocations
  • forced expatriation
  • mass expatriation
  • order the expatriation of
  • summary expatriation
  • face expatriation
Synonyms
  • banishment

    more archaic in tone; often implies a formal decree of exile

  • expulsion

    broader — can apply to being removed from any group or institution, not only a country

  • deportation

    specifically removal by immigration authorities, usually of a non-citizen

Antonyms
  • repatriation

    the act of returning someone to their own country

Grammar Patterns

expatriation of + [person/group]

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 2 (VOLUNTARY EMIGRATION): this sense always involves compulsion — the person is forced out against their will, typically by a government or ruling authority.

Common Mistakes

The criminal faced expatriation to stand trial in France.
The criminal faced extradition to stand trial in France.
'extradition' means sending someone to another country to face charges; 'expatriation' means expelling them from their own country permanently.
She chose expatriation after the regime seized her passport.
She was forced into expatriation after the regime seized her passport.
sense 1 is involuntary; if it was her choice, use sense 2 instead.

2. the decision to leave your country of birth and go to live permanently in anothe

2.nounB2
Definition

the decision to leave your country of birth and go to live permanently in another nation

Example

After years of planning, Aisha's expatriation to Portugal finally happened last spring.

collocation: expatriation to [destination]

Camila chose expatriation over staying in a country that no longer felt safe to her.

pattern: chose expatriation over [alternative]

Common collocations
  • voluntary expatriation
  • long-term expatriation
  • choose expatriation
  • expatriation for work
Synonyms
  • emigration

    more neutral and everyday; focuses on the act of leaving rather than the lifestyle choice

  • relocation

    more casual, often implies a temporary or work-driven move rather than permanent settlement

Antonyms
  • repatriation

    returning to one's home country after a period abroad

Grammar Patterns

expatriation to + [country/city]

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1 (FORCED EXPULSION): this sense is voluntary — the person freely chooses to leave. Common in business and lifestyle contexts where people relocate for work or quality of life.

Common Mistakes

His expatriation to Canada was ordered by the court.
His emigration to Canada was voluntary and driven by career opportunities.
'expatriation' in sense 2 is never ordered by an authority; if the court is involved, sense 1 applies.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Expatriation (sense 2) overlaps with emigration but carries a stronger sense of personal identity and lifestyle choice — an expatriate is often imagined as a professional or retiree building a life abroad, while an emigrant is simply anyone who leaves. Relocation is more casual and often work-driven; it suggests moving your base of operations rather than adopting a new nationality or permanent home. Diaspora refers not to an individual act but to a scattered population sharing a common origin, often across generations — you can belong to a diaspora without ever having left your homeland yourself. Example: an Irish family moving permanently to Australia would be expatriation; the broader Irish community already living there is part of the Irish diaspora.

emigration ↗relocationdiaspora

Common collocations

Nouns

  • act of expatriation

Phrases

  • in expatriation

Prepositions

  • expatriation from
  • expatriation to

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin ex- ('out of') combined with patria ('fatherland, native country'). The word entered English through French expatrier ('to banish') in the 18th century, originally referring exclusively to forced banishment. The voluntary sense — choosing to leave one's country to settle elsewhere — emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries as global travel and international business became more common.