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

The agreement between the university and the FNR forms part of a wider international movement to repatriate artifacts and human remains acquired by Western institutions during the colonial era. — CBS News, 7 Sep. 2026

Authorities did not say how many migrants were aboard, only that they will be processed to establish their identities and will eventually be repatriated back to Haiti via Cap-Haïtien. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026

Last June, Shara signed a decree permitting foreign investors full ownership rights in most sectors, an unrestricted ability to repatriate their profits, and extensive tax and customs concessions. — Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026

Nigeria will be restored to an index that measures equities in frontier markets, three years after it was delisted over concerns about the ability to repatriate earnings. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 31 Aug. 2026

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

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

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