repatriate

verb

re·​pa·​tri·​ate (ˌ)rē-ˈpā-trē-ˌāt 

-ˈpa-

repatriated; repatriating

transitive verb

: to restore or return to the country of origin, allegiance, or citizenship

repatriate prisoners of war

repatriate

(ˌ)rē-ˈpā-trē-ət 

-trē-ˌāt, 

-ˈpa-

noun

Examples of repatriate in a Sentence

Countries are required to repatriate prisoners of war when conflict has ended.

Recent Examples on the Web

Many of the findings in the report match what several former detainees told CNN in late July, days after being released from Cecot and repatriated to Venezuela. —Rocio Muñoz-Ledo, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2025

Roughly 150 of these have been repatriated in recent years, and several were to have gone on view at MOWAA, an independent institution initiated by the previous administration for that purpose, and co-funded by France, Germany, and private donors. —News Desk, Artforum, 10 Nov. 2025

Meanwhile, the family is trying to repatriate her body back home to Guatemala. —Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 6 Nov. 2025

Referred to as material witnesses, they are provided attorneys to represent their interests, such as seeking bond or undergoing recorded depositions so their testimony is preserved for trial, but they can be repatriated to their home countries sooner. —Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin repatriatus, past participle of repatriare to go home again — more at repair entry 3

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for repatriate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

repatriate

1 of 2 verb

re·​pa·​tri·​ate

(ˈ)rē-ˈpā-trē-ˌāt, 

-ˈpa-

repatriated; repatriating

: to return to the country of origin, allegiance, or citizenship

repatriate prisoners of war

repatriation

(ˌ)rē-ˌpā-trē-ˈā-shən, 

-ˌpa-

noun

repatriate

2 of 2 noun

re·​pa·​tri·​ate

(ˈ)rē-ˈpā-trē-ət, 

-tre-ˌāt

: one that is repatriated