repatriate

verb

re·​pa·​tri·​ate (ˌ)rē-ˈpā-trē-ˌāt How to pronounce repatriate (audio)
-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 How to pronounce repatriate (audio)
-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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What the administration is doing, especially with ICE raids in schools, with flying - repatriating people who often aren't only criminals, in military airplanes, for intimidation, talking about housing people on Guantanamo, that's intimidation. CBS News, 2 Mar. 2025 Chinese state news agency Xinhua said that 40 Chinese nationals who had illegally crossed the border into Thailand were deported and repatriated to China on Thursday. Kocha Olarn, CNN, 27 Feb. 2025 On Monday, the Florida Sheriffs’ Association said that all of Florida’s 67 county jails had signed what are known as 287(g) agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security agency tasked with detaining and repatriating immigrants with deportation orders. Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2025 The department’s progress repatriating 1,366 Native American ancestors last year comes after top officials sent directives in late 2023 instructing Interior agencies to prioritize the work. Mary Hudetz, ProPublica, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for repatriate

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of repatriate was in 1611

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Repatriate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repatriate. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on repatriate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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