What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
migrate
Example
The birds migrate south for the winter. [migrate: verb]
Example
Many people migrate to big cities in search of better job opportunities. [migrate: verb]
Example
We need to migrate our data to a new server. [migrate: verb]
relocate
Example
We are planning to relocate to a bigger house next month. [relocate: verb]
Example
The company decided to relocate its headquarters to a more central location. [relocate: verb]
Example
I was offered a promotion but it requires me to relocate to a different city. [relocate: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Relocate is more commonly used than migrate in everyday language. Relocate is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while migrate is less common and refers to specific types of movement.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between migrate and relocate?
Both migrate and relocate are formal words that are appropriate for use in professional or academic contexts.
