immigration

noun

im·​mi·​gra·​tion ˌi-mə-ˈgrā-shən How to pronounce immigration (audio)
plural immigrations
: an act or instance of immigrating
specifically : travel into a country for the purpose of permanent residence there
Especially during these months when there has been constant talk of immigration and its myriad challenges, both here and on European national borders … Bob Greene
illegal/legal immigration
immigration reform/policy/law
Drawing historical comparisons is always a fraught process, especially when the subject is as contentious as immigration. James Hannan
There is only a passing comment on Chinese and Japanese immigration in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, plus a short section on the truly global wave of immigrants that swept into America after the Second World War … Nicholas Guyatt
The Middle Ages is the story of successive migrations and immigrationsJanet L. Nelson
immigrational adjective
studied the region's immigrational history

Examples of immigration in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In a nutshell, Democrats are getting hammered on immigration, as polls continue to show more voters say former President Donald Trump and Republicans are better able to control the flow at the border. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2024 Making sure money trickles down to vulnerable citizens is a challenge, said Jose Rivera, a spokesman for Make the Road Nevada, which works on immigration, housing, economic justice and other issues. Dionne Searcey, New York Times, 25 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for immigration 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'immigration.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of immigration was in 1625

Dictionary Entries Near immigration

Cite this Entry

“Immigration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immigration. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on immigration

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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