A refugee, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is a person "forced to flee their own country and seek safety in another country. A refugee is a person who has escaped from their own country for political, religious, or economic reasons or because of a war. Learn more about the meaning, pronunciation, and translations of refugee in different languages. REFUGEE meaning: 1. a person who has escaped from their own country for political, religious, or economic reasons or…. Learn more. A. a person who has fled from some danger or problem, esp political persecution b. (as.... Click for English pronunciations, examples sentences, video.