rehome

verb

re·​home (ˌ)rē-ˈhōm 

rehomed; rehoming; rehomes

transitive verb

: to provide (someone or something) with a different home or location : relocate

The goal is to rehome unused crafting materials that are in good condition so they don't end up in the landfill or collect dust in a drawer.

—Maria Lockwood

… the St. Petersburg couple has made a career out of saving bees, running a removal service and nonprofit organization full time. Noble Nectar Apiaries removes the flying critters and rehomes them as an alternative to extermination.

—Selene San Felice

: such as

a

: to transfer ownership or possession of (an animal and especially a pet)

Social media is full of posts from people who say they're rehoming their pet. They claim they're not home enough to give them the kind of life they deserve.

—John Moore

Cats continue to prowl the Queens' Marketplace despite efforts by advocacy groups to rehome 98 feral felines last year.

—Kelsey Walling

b

: to establish (someone, such as a refugee or displaced person) in a new home or location

The International Rescue Committee, a global organization that rehomes refugees, is helping settle around 100 refugees in Iowa City over the next couple of months after opening an Iowa City office late last year.

—The Daily Iowan (University of Iowa)

… a concert will raise the funds needed to rehome Monona [Wisconsin] residents displaced by fire in mid March.

—Roberta Baumann

rehoming noun

Rehoming allows your pet to transition from one home to another, bypassing the stress of a shelter.

—Sarah A. Neikam

Examples of rehome in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When his mother, Nancy, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, the family had to make the heart-wrenching decision to rehome her beloved dog, Golden Bear. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 24 Jan. 2025

Most of these pets are rehomed or returned to their original owners. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Jan. 2025

Population growth, rising home prices, evictions and a shortage of affordable pet care have forced more pet owners in the community to rehome a pet. —Karen Bartunek, The Arizona Republic, 24 Dec. 2024

For the Rome Prize, the family rehomed livestock and decamped to Italy for six months. —Sara James Mnookin, Architectural Digest, 21 Jan. 2025

What did Myka and James Stauffer say about rehoming Huxley? —Rebecca Aizin, People.com, 16 Jan. 2025

Patch, a 10-year-old Jack Russell, is being cared for by Jack Russell Terrier Rescue, a nonprofit in Bedfordshire, England, that is dedicated to rescuing and rehoming dogs of Patch's breed. —Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025

Marineland has until December 2026 to rehome its two remaining killer whales, Keijo and Wikie. —Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025

Sarah came close to being rehomed twice before the Baker family happily took her. —Latoya Gayle, People.com, 27 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above