relocate

American  

[ree-loh-keyt, ree-loh-keyt] / riˈloʊ keɪt, ˌri loʊˈkeɪt /

verb (used with object)

relocated, relocating

1. to move (a building, company, etc.) to a different location.

   plans to relocate the firm to Houston.

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verb (used without object)

relocated, relocating

1. to change one's residence or place of business; move.

   Next year we may relocate to Denver.

relocate British  

/ ˌriːləʊˈkeɪt /

verb

1. to move or be moved to a new place, esp (of an employee, a business, etc) to a new area or place of employment

2. (intr) (of an employee, a business, etc) to move for reasons of business to a new area or place of employment

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Other Word Forms

• relocation
  noun

Etymology

Origin of relocate

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35; re- + locate

Explanation

When you relocate, you move to a new location and settle into a new place. If you live in New York City but you get a job in Phoenix, you'll have to relocate to Arizona to start your new career. The word relocate came into English in the 1800s from re, meaning "back, again," and locate, meaning "to settle." Relocate refers not only to moving to a new place but also to establishing yourself there. It typically involves finding a new place to live, making new friends, finding your way around your new town or city — even getting cable TV installed. For some people, this can be an exciting adventure; for others, it's a daunting challenge of to-do lists.

Example Sentences

Parents in the bleachers commiserated about insurance battles and issues with landlords and having to relocate again and again and again.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

Since the place may be where you’ll want to reside for the rest of your life, you’ll want to feel confident that it won’t declare bankruptcy and force you to relocate again.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

Residents and businesses still rely on septic tanks, and locals say larger businesses have been hesitant to relocate there because of the lack of sewer service.

From Salon • May 3, 2026

"We've had to relocate in certain areas because it became too dangerous, and unfortunately, some of the areas where we began our work in 2022 are now no-go zones."

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

In December, Meng tells me we will relocate to Long Deang to live on a houseboat with one of Eang’s sisters and her family in the lower end of the Mekong Delta.

From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung