repatriation

noun

re·​pa·​tri·​a·​tion (ˌ)rē-ˌpā-trē-ˈā-shən How to pronounce repatriation (audio)
-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
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
This left him an illegal immigrant in Hong Kong, subject to arrest and repatriation at any time.Nicholas D. Kristof

Examples of repatriation in a Sentence

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.
The topic includes the rise of repatriation claims, to which Jenkin responded that museums are under no obligation to return or repatriate such artifacts even when appealed. Karen K. Ho For Artnews, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2025 What Can Be Taken Off The Cloud Cloud repatriation is on the rise because many are paying a premium for overprovisioned resources and vendor lock-in pricing models that appear designed to inflate costs. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025 Meanwhile, a Venezuelan lawmaker has accused Washington of blocking direct repatriation flights from the U.S. to Venezuela, which Caracas is ready to resume. Vivian Sequera, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2025 The emphasis on repatriation increased in tandem with reporting by ProPublica in 2023 about failures to comply with the law. Mary Hudetz, ProPublica, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for repatriation

Word History

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of repatriation was in 1592

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Repatriation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repatriation. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on repatriation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!