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

On its website, the ASPCA said that while most of the cats are rehomed or returned to their original owners, about 530,000 shelter cats are euthanized. —Matt Robison, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025

Joseph's obituary requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Take Me Home Pet Rescue NY—an organization dedicated to rescuing and rehoming animals in need. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025

At their best, strict rules prevent pets from repeat rehoming. —Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2025

Additionally, the Alberts’ dog Chloe — who was known to be violent, according to Vanity Fair — was also rehomed in the months after O’Keefe’s death, per The Boston Globe. —Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa-Hackman's two surviving dogs were successfully rehomed, Fox News Digital has confirmed. —Tracy Wright, Fox News, 17 Mar. 2025

Red flags can include people who adopt frequently, but then rehome the animals, or those who have animals in the home that are not spayed or neutered. —Beth Lipoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2025

Additional Tips for Living With a Cat For many, their cats are part of the family, and rehoming them isn’t an option. —Daniel More, Verywell Health, 15 Jan. 2025

The city has set aside $29.5 million for rehousing people for the 2025 budget year, enough to rehome 360 households and support 1,000 more. —Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for rehome

• biome
• genome
• megohm
• nichrome
• noisome
• prodrome
• radome
• rhizome
• shalom
• syndrome
• acrosome
• aerodrome