rehouse: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, official, administrative.
Quick answer
What does “rehouse” mean?
To provide someone with a new house or accommodation, especially one of a better standard.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To provide someone with a new house or accommodation, especially one of a better standard.
To relocate people, animals, or systems from one place of residence or operation to another, often as part of a planned program.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More common in British English in administrative/planning contexts; American English may use 'relocate' or 'resettle' more frequently in formal discourse.
Connotations
UK: Strong association with local council housing and urban renewal projects. US: Less bureaucratically tinged, can apply to animal shelters or tech contexts (rehousing servers).
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK English, particularly in news media related to housing policy.
Grammar
How to Use “rehouse” in a Sentence
NP rehouse NP (in/at/to LOCATION)NP be rehoused (by AGENT) (in/at/to LOCATION)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “rehouse” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The council pledged to rehouse all families displaced by the flood.
- They are being rehoused in temporary accommodation while their flat is repaired.
- The developer was required to rehouse the existing tenants.
American English
- The city plans to rehouse the homeless population in new supportive units.
- After the fire, the Red Cross helped rehouse the affected families.
- We need to rehouse the server farm to a more secure location.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might refer to relocating staff or IT infrastructure.
Academic
Used in urban studies, sociology, and public policy literature.
Everyday
Uncommon in casual conversation. Heard in news about housing crises or natural disasters.
Technical
Used in animal welfare (rehoming pets) and IT (rehousing servers/data centers).
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “rehouse”
- Using it intransitively (e.g., 'They rehoused' is incomplete).
- Confusing with 'rehabilitate' (which is about improvement of a person or building, not relocation).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Rehouse' specifically means to provide new *housing/accommodation*. 'Relocate' is broader, meaning to move to a new place for any reason (job, safety, etc.).
Typically no, unless metaphorically (e.g., 'rehousing a collection in a new museum wing'). It primarily applies to living beings.
It's a mid-frequency word, common in formal, administrative, or journalistic contexts, especially in the UK. Uncommon in everyday casual conversation.
The action is 'rehousing'. There is no common agent noun (like 'rehouser').
To provide someone with a new house or accommodation, especially one of a better standard.
Rehouse is usually formal, official, administrative. in register.
Rehouse: in British English it is pronounced /ˌriːˈhaʊz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌriˈhaʊz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to 'rehouse'.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: RE + HOUSE = to HOUSE again. Like renovating a house, but for people.
Conceptual Metaphor
HOUSING AS CONTAINER (people are moved from one container to another).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'rehouse' LEAST likely to be used?