repatriation
noun
re·pa·tri·a·tion
(ˌ)rē-ˌpā-trē-ˈā-shən 
-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
Andrew JacobsThey 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
Timothy EganThis left him an illegal immigrant in Hong Kong, subject to arrest and repatriation at any time.—Nicholas D. Kristof
Nicholas D. KristofExamples of repatriation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
During the first two months of the order's implementation, the department conducted 62 repatriations per every 100 border encounters, up from 26 repatriations per 100 encounters, Murray said.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 1 Sep. 2024
Efforts — and lawsuits — have been mounted in the past to address the repatriation’s impact in California.
—Angie Orellana Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2024
Travel insurance plans may have coverage for costs associated with repatriation of remains if needed, according to Meghan Walch, director of product at InsureMyTrip.
—Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 6 Aug. 2024
The changes reflected the Biden administration’s attempt to address long-standing complaints by tribal leaders that NAGPRA guidelines regarding the repatriation to tribes of ancestral remains, funerary artifacts, and other antiquities, allowed institutions to egregiously delay such returns.
—News Desk, Artforum, 1 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for repatriation 
Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 1 Sep. 2024
Efforts — and lawsuits — have been mounted in the past to address the repatriation’s impact in California.
—Angie Orellana Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2024
Travel insurance plans may have coverage for costs associated with repatriation of remains if needed, according to Meghan Walch, director of product at InsureMyTrip.
—Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 6 Aug. 2024
The changes reflected the Biden administration’s attempt to address long-standing complaints by tribal leaders that NAGPRA guidelines regarding the repatriation to tribes of ancestral remains, funerary artifacts, and other antiquities, allowed institutions to egregiously delay such returns.
—News Desk, Artforum, 1 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for repatriation
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'repatriation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near repatriation
Cite this Entry
“Repatriation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repatriation. Accessed 17 Sep. 2024.
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