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transfer

21 synonyms and 3 antonyms for transfer, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To move something from one place, person, or thing to another.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

hand over reassign abalienate alienate change hands consign conveyance transferral transferee transference

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To move something from one place, person, or thing to another.

“Please transfer the funds to my savings account.”

Opposites

2. noun

An instance of moving something, or a ticket allowing a change between transportation services.

“The bus transfer let her switch lines without paying again.”

How to use transfer

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

bank transfer transfer of ownership transfer window

Etymology

From Latin "transferre" — "to carry across" — from "trans-" plus "ferre" ("to carry"). A distant relative of "translate."

Full origin of transfer →

Frequently asked questions

What does “transfer” mean?
The word “transfer” means to move something from one place, person, or thing to another. In plain terms, to move something (money, a person, data) from one place to another.
How do you pronounce “transfer”?
“Transfer” is pronounced trahns-FUR (/tɹænsˈfɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “transfer” in a sentence?
Here is “transfer” used in a sentence: “Please transfer the funds to my savings account.”
What is another word for “transfer”?
Words with a similar meaning to “transfer” include abalienate, alien, alienate, assign, change hands and consign.
What part of speech is “transfer”?
Depending on how it is used, “transfer” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “transfer” come from?
The word “transfer” comes from Latin. From Latin "transferre" — "to carry across" — from "trans-" plus "ferre" ("to carry"). A distant relative of "translate.".
Is “transfer” a common word?
“Transfer” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “transfer” have?
“Transfer” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to move something from one place, person, or thing to another.
What is the difference between transfer and transmit?
Both involve moving something, but transfer is broad — money, people, or objects moved from one place to another. Transmit is narrower, meaning to send signals, data, or energy across a distance, as with radio, electricity, or disease. You transfer a file; a station transmits a broadcast.
What is an example of transfer?
Moving money between bank accounts, changing from one train to another, relocating an employee to a new office, or copying files to a different computer are all transfers. In each case, something is moved from one place, person, or system to another — which is exactly what the verb describes.
What are the types of transfer?
Common kinds include money or bank transfers, data and file transfers, and transfers of people — an employee moving office or a player moving clubs. There are also transfers of ownership, rights, or property, where legal control passes from one party to another rather than a physical object.

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Synonyms and antonyms from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.