deport
B2Formal, official, legal
Definition
Meaning
to force someone to leave a country, especially someone who has no legal right to be there
to behave or conduct oneself in a specified manner (archaic or formal usage)
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary modern meaning relates to state-enforced expulsion; the secondary meaning 'to conduct oneself' is now archaic or highly formal.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in the core meaning of forced removal. Both use the term in official/legal contexts.
Connotations
Both carry strong legal/state authority connotations. In the US, it's heavily associated with immigration enforcement.
Frequency
Higher frequency in American media due to prominence of immigration debates.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[S] deport [O] (from X) (to Y)[S] be deported (from X) (to Y)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms with 'deport' as a keyword]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in HR regarding work visa violations.
Academic
Used in law, political science, and sociology papers on migration.
Everyday
Used in news discussions about immigration.
Technical
Legal term in immigration law.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The Home Office decided to deport the offenders.
- He was deported back to his country of origin.
American English
- The judge ordered him to be deported.
- ICE moved to deport the individuals without valid visas.
adverb
British English
- [No adverb form.]
American English
- [No adverb form.]
adjective
British English
- [No standard adjective form. 'Deportable' is a related legal term.]
American English
- [No standard adjective form. 'Deportable' is a related legal term.]
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The man was deported from the country.
- If you break the law, you might be deported.
- The government's policy is to deport foreign nationals who commit serious crimes.
- Despite appeals from human rights groups, the authorities proceeded to deport the asylum seekers to a war-torn region.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'PORT' is where ships go. To DE-PORT someone is to send them out from the port/country.
Conceptual Metaphor
A COUNTRY IS A CONTAINER; removing a person is taking an object out of the container.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with Russian 'депортировать' – it's a direct cognate and accurate.
- Avoid using it to mean simply 'send' in a non-legal context.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'deport' instead of 'export' for goods.
- Using it without an object (e.g., 'They will deport' is incomplete).
- Confusing 'deport' (forceful) with 'depart' (to leave voluntarily).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'deport' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in modern usage it is exclusively used for the forced removal of people from a country. The archaic meaning related to behaviour ('deport oneself') is no longer common.
'Deport' is a general term for state-enforced removal, often for immigration violations. 'Extradite' is a specific legal process of sending a person accused or convicted of a crime to another country/jurisdiction to face trial or serve a sentence.
The main noun is 'deportation'. The archaic noun related to behaviour is 'deportment' (meaning bearing or manners).
Almost never in contemporary English. Its usage is almost entirely confined to official, legal, and journalistic contexts concerning immigration and state authority.