immigrate

verb

im·​mi·​grate ˈi-mə-ˌgrāt 

immigrated; immigrating

intransitive verb

: to enter and usually become established

especially : to come into a country of which one is not a native for permanent residence

My grandparents immigrated to the U.S. from Italy.

transitive verb

: to bring in or send as immigrants

helped immigrate them

Examples of immigrate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Nickolay Jogolev immigrated to the United States from Russia in his early 20s with his mother and grandmother. —Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 25 May 2026

After immigrating to the United States, the family moved in with Partovi’s grandmother and lived in a single room. —Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 24 May 2026

Most people immigrate through the Work Visa Canada or Express Entry system. —Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026

But that right was granted, and millions of Jews have immigrated to Israel, and for 80 years Jews around the world have supported Israel and its reliance on that right and recognition. —Michael W. Sonnenfeldt, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin immigratus, past participle of immigrare to remove, go in, from in- + migrare to migrate

First Known Use

circa 1623, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for immigrate

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

Kids Definition

immigrate

verb

im·​mi·​grate ˈim-ə-ˌgrāt 

immigrated; immigrating

: to come into a foreign country to live

immigration

ˌim-ə-ˈgrā-shən 

noun