foreigner

noun

for·​eign·​er ˈfȯr-ə-nər How to pronounce foreigner (audio)
ˈfär-
1
: a person belonging to or owing allegiance to a foreign country
2
chiefly dialectal : one not native to a place or community : stranger sense 1c

Examples of foreigner in a Sentence

I can tell by your accent you're a foreigner in these parts.
Recent Examples on the Web This sweeping law allows the president to temporarily suspend or restrict the entry of all foreigners if their arrival is detrimental to the U.S. This obscure law gained attention when Trump used it in January 2017 to implement a travel ban on foreigners from mainly Muslim countries. Jean Lantz Reisz, The Conversation, 8 Mar. 2024 In real life, because a lot of foreigners come to visit my father, there are no subtitles. Angelique Jackson, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024 That backlash came as the influx of wealthy foreigners contributed to a housing crisis, pricing locals out of not just buying, but renting as well. Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2024 Though official numbers are a bit murky, some 20,000 foreigners from over 50 nationalities make up Ukraine’s international legion, according to Ukrainian officials. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 Meanwhile, Blackthorne develops a friendship of sorts with Toranaga, who appreciates the foreigner's quick mind and knack for persuasion. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 27 Feb. 2024 Japan is set to become the latest country to offer a digital nomad visa to travelers, allowing foreigners to travel the country and work at the same time in an effort to expand tourism. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2024 Yet, for as long as deep realism remains the foremost priority, constructed languages are bound to strand not just imagined worlds but the foreigners within them, untethering them from the realities they are supposed to mirror and critique. Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2024 Home buying for the undocumented Across the country, lenders have worked with undocumented homebuyers for years as the U.S. does not restrict foreigners from buying real estate. Mathew Miranda, Sacramento Bee, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foreigner.' 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

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of foreigner was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near foreigner

Cite this Entry

“Foreigner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreigner. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

foreigner

noun
for·​eign·​er ˈfȯr-ə-nər How to pronounce foreigner (audio)
ˈfär-
: a person who is from a foreign country

More from Merriam-Webster on foreigner

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!