repatriation

noun

re·​pa·​tri·​a·​tion (ˌ)rē-ˌpā-trē-ˈā-shən 

-ˌpa-

plural repatriations

: the act or process of restoring or returning someone or something to the country of origin, allegiance, or citizenship : the act of repatriating or the state of being repatriated

… rising demands for the repatriation of skeletons and sacred objects, now widely scattered in the world's museums, and for museum exhibits less devoted to static, stereotypical displays of … the native American culture.

—Robert McCormick Adams

While officials privately acknowledge there is scant legal basis for repatriation, their public statements suggest that they would use lawsuits, diplomatic pressure and shame to bring home looted objects—not unlike Italy, Greece and Egypt, which have sought, with some success, to recover antiquities in European and American museums.

—Andrew Jacobs

They say they have that right under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which requires that human remains and artifacts be returned to Indian tribes that can show a cultural link.

—Timothy Egan

Examples of repatriation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Israel first began landing repatriation flights in Tel Aviv on Thursday. —Emma Hurt, AJC.com, 6 Mar. 2026

Oman, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan have emerged as key exit points for repatriation flights because flights are still operating in those countries. —Hallie Golden, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026

Some repatriation flights have resumed, but the ongoing military action has left commercial air travel in the region in chaos. —Connor Greene, Time, 6 Mar. 2026

Emirates, which had suspended all flights to and from its bases, resumed a limited number of repatriation and freight flights Monday night. —Marnie Hunter, CNN Money, 4 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for repatriation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration