migrate

Word relationships

• relocate: Relocate is a general term for moving physical things or offices, while migrate is specifically used for systemic transitions of data or software.
• transfer: Transfer is a simple, broad term for moving data, whereas migrate implies a complex, structured transition to a completely new environment.

• remain: To stay in the current system or environment without undergoing transition.

Commonly confused with

• upload: Upload is the simple act of sending a file from a local device to a server, while migrate is a large-scale, structural move of entire systems or databases.

Word family

• migration (noun): The process of moving from one place or system to another.
• migratory (adjective): Relating to migration; habitually moving.

Collocations

• migrate data
• migrate to the cloud
• migrate systems
• seamlessly migrate

Example sentences

• "The IT department planned for six months before they began to migrate our customer database to the new cloud platform." A corporate shift to cloud infrastructure.
• "When we upgraded our computers, we had to migrate all our legacy files to the new operating system." Upgrading software systems.

Memory hook

Think of birds migrating south for the winter. Just like birds moving to a warmer climate, your data is migrating to a better server. Migrate is a massive move to a new digital home.

When not to use

Do not use migrate for simple daily file transfers or copying a single document (use upload, download, or copy instead).

Fun facts

• Data migrations are often scheduled over weekends or holidays because they are so complex and resource-intensive that they can temporarily slow down or disable a company's daily operations.

Related words

synchronize, upload, repository

Explore more words

migration, seasonal, immigrate, emigrate, transience, acclimatize

Also appears in

• Travel & Culture → Nomadic Lifestyles & Migration