had been repatriated

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been repatriated" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe the action of returning someone or something to their country of origin, often in the context of people or assets. Example: "After years of living abroad, the citizens had been repatriated to their homeland following the resolution of the conflict."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

Although young tortoises had been repatriated very regularly (one to two campaigns of repatriations have typically been performed each year), analysis of objective repatriation data allowed us to identify a large variance in the number of animals released each year.

Evolutionary Applications

Before Tuesday, 135 prisoners had been repatriated and released, and another 12 who had been repatriated were still in detention in their home countries, according to the Pentagon.

The New York Times

THE NEWS The Iraqi government announced that hundreds of antiquities and museum pieces looted from the country had been repatriated from the United States.

The New York Times

In August, the nurse also treated 75-year-old Spanish missionary Miguel Pajares who had been repatriated to Madrid from Liberia.

The Guardian

And it was pointed out that once these black subversives had been "repatriated" (their patria could never be the United States), colonizationists generally ignored them.

The New York Times - Books

And the Edinburgh grandee was happy enough to sanction the tradition, as power had been repatriated to Edinburgh, by a highly professional, well-briefed Nationalist regime.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

(Under the agreed-upon truce settlement, these men were to have been repatriated to North Korea).

Encyclopedia Britannica

Some of those living in the camps have been repatriated to Romania.

The Economist

The crayfish appeared to have been repatriated to a river of heavy cream.

The New Yorker

To date, none of the collection has been repatriated, despite formal requests from Australian indigenous groups.

The Guardian

About 65 detainees at Guantánamo Bay have been repatriated to Pakistan, according to Cmdr.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been repatriated" when you want to emphasize that the action of returning someone or something to their country of origin has already been completed by a specific point in time.

Common error

Avoid using "had been repatriated" when the action is ongoing or in the future. Use present or future tenses if the repatriation is not yet completed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been repatriated" functions as the past perfect passive form of the verb 'repatriate'. It describes a completed action in the past, specifically the act of returning someone or something to their country of origin. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's correctness.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

20%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Encyclopedias

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been repatriated" is a grammatically sound and relatively common phrase used to describe the completed action of returning someone or something to their country of origin prior to a specific point in time. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness of the phrase. It is most frequently found in news and media contexts, but also appears in scientific and formal writing. While alternatives exist, "had been repatriated" provides a clear and precise way to convey this specific meaning. When using the phrase, ensure the action is indeed completed and occurred before another reference point in the past. Be mindful of choosing the correct tense to accurately reflect the timeline.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were returned to their homeland

Emphasizes the action of returning to one's native country or origin.

were sent back to their country

Focuses on the act of sending someone back to their nation.

were restored to their nation

Highlights the restoration aspect, implying a return to rightful belonging.

had returned to their country of origin

States a completed action of returning to the original country.

had been sent home

A more informal way of saying someone was sent back to their home country.

had been expatriated back

Describes the action of reversing expatriation.

had been returned to sender

An idiomatic expression emphasizing the return of something.

had found their way back home

Focuses on the subject finding their own way back.

were brought back to their native land

Emphasizes being physically brought back to the native land.

were reinstated in their country

Highlights the reestablishment of someone in their country.

FAQs

How is "had been repatriated" used in a sentence?

The phrase "had been repatriated" indicates a completed action of returning someone or something to their country of origin. For example: "The refugees "had been repatriated" after the conflict ended."

What are some alternatives to "had been repatriated"?

You can use alternatives such as "were returned to their homeland", "were sent back to their country", or "had returned to their country of origin" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "have been repatriated" instead of "had been repatriated"?

The correct tense depends on the context. "Have been repatriated" is present perfect, indicating an action completed at some point in the past up to now. "Had been repatriated" is past perfect, indicating an action completed before another point in the past. Example: "They "have been repatriated" this year." vs "They "had been repatriated" before the new law was passed."

What's the difference between "deported" and "had been repatriated"?

"Deported" implies forcible removal from a country, often due to legal reasons. "Had been repatriated" simply means they returned to their country of origin, which may or may not be voluntary. For instance, someone who "had been repatriated" might have chosen to return, while someone deported did not.