Transfer — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /tran(t)s-ˈfər/ (verb) /ˈtran(t)s-ˌfər/ (noun) trans·fer

Meaning & Definition of Transfer

Transfer (verb)

  1. to convey from one person, place, or situation to another, move, shift
  2. to cause to pass from one to another, transmit
  3. transform, change

Transfer (noun)

  1. conveyance of right, title, or interest in real or personal property from one person to another
  2. removal or acquisition of property by mere delivery with intent to transfer title
  3. an act, process, or instance of transferring, transference

Transfer (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to give over the legal possession or ownership of

    "Claire's grandfather agreed to transfer certain stocks to her when she turned 18"

    similar: alien, alienate, assign, cede, convey, deed, make over, dispose of
    related: bequeath, hand down, leave, pass (down), will, bestow, commend, commit, confer, contribute, deliver, donate, grant, hand over, move, pass, present, release, relinquish, surrender, transmit, turn in, turn over, vest, yield, consign, entrust, trust, lease, lend, let (chiefly British), loan, rent
    near: expropriate

  2. to cause (something) to pass from one to another

    "they used Morse Code to transfer the message from one ship to another"

    similar: communicate, conduct, convey, give, impart, spread, transfuse, transmit
    related: deliver, hand over, surrender, turn over, broadcast, diffuse, disseminate, propagate, hand down, hand on, contaminate, infect, poison
    near: catch, come down (with), contract

  3. to cause to go or be taken from one place to another

    "will have to transfer you from our San Francisco office to our New York headquarters"

    similar: consign, dispatch, pack (off), send, ship, shoot, transmit, transport
    related: convey, deliver, hand over, pass, render, advance, drop, launch, address, forward, export, import, bestow, contribute, donate, give, present, resend, return
    opposite: accept, receive
    near: acquire, draw, earn, gain, garner, get, obtain, procure, secure

  4. to change the place or position of

    "transferred the car keys from my pocket to my purse"

    similar: budge, dislocate, displace, disturb, move, relocate, remove, reposition, shift, transpose
    related: bear, carry, cart, convey, drive, haul, lug, tote, transmit, transplant, transport, replace, supersede, supplant, alter, make over, modify, redo, refashion, remake, remodel, revamp, revise, rework, vary
    near: anchor, fix, freeze, moor, secure, set, stabilize, embed, entrench, implant, ingrain, lodge, root

  5. to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another

    "before she left the country, she transferred all her record books and important papers to her mother"

    similar: commend, commit, confide, consign, delegate, deliver, entrust, give, give over, hand, hand over, leave, pass, recommend, repose, transmit, trust, turn over, vest
    related: confer, grant, assign, deal (out), dispense, disperse, distribute, divide, hand in, release, relinquish, submit, surrender, turn in, yield, bequeath, hand down, hand on, will, advance, lend, loan, furnish, supply, recommit, redeliver, retransfer, retransmit
    opposite: hold, keep, retain
    near: detain, hold back, reserve, withhold, own, possess, accept, receive, take in, occupy, take, take over

  6. to shift possession of (something) from one person to another

    "transferred the ball to the running back"

    similar: buck, hand, hand over, pass, reach
    related: relay, bear, carry, finger, handle, paw, cede, deliver, give, give up, release, relinquish, render, surrender, turn over, yield

Related Entry: Transfer station (noun)

Transfer station is a different word from Transfer. The synonyms below are for transfer station, not for transfer.

  1. as in sanitary landfill, dustheap

    similar: dustbin, dustheap, junkyard, kitchen midden, midden, dump, landfill, sanitary landfill, tip (chiefly British), mess, pigpen, pigsty, sty

Related Entry: Transfer stations (noun)

Transfer stations is a different word from Transfer. The synonyms below are for transfer stations, not for transfer.

  1. as in sanitary landfills, dustheaps

    similar: dustbins, dustheaps, junkyards, kitchen middens, middens, dumps, landfills, sanitary landfills, tips (chiefly British), messes, pigpens, pigsties, sties

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Transfer

The most common words with a similar meaning to Transfer:

alien, alienate, assign, cede, convey, deed, make over, communicate, conduct, give, impart, spread, transfuse, transmit, consign, dispatch, pack (off), send, ship, shoot, transport, budge, dislocate, displace, disturb, move, relocate, remove, reposition, shift, transpose, commend, commit, confide, delegate, deliver, entrust, give over, hand, hand over

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Transfer

Words with the opposite meaning of Transfer:

accept, receive, hold, keep, retain

Related Words for Transfer

bequeath, hand down, pass (down), will, bestow, confer, contribute, donate, grant, present, release, relinquish, surrender, turn in, yield, lease, lend, let, loan, rent, broadcast, diffuse, disseminate, propagate, hand on, contaminate, infect, poison, render, advance

Near Antonyms of Transfer

expropriate, catch, come down (with), contract, acquire, draw, earn, gain, garner, get, obtain, procure, secure, anchor, fix, freeze, moor, set, stabilize, embed, entrench, implant, ingrain, lodge, root, detain, hold back, reserve, withhold, own

Word Forms of Transfer

Inflections: transferred, transferring

Derived words: transferability (noun), transferable (adjective), transferal (noun), transferrer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Transfer

Middle English transferren, from Anglo-French transferrer, from Latin transferre, from trans- + ferre to carry bear

First known use: 14th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Transfer

Words & Phrases Containing Transfer

transfer factor, transfer payment, transfer RNA, transfer station, asynchronous transfer mode, embryo transfer, gamete intrafallopian transfer, hypertext transfer protocol

Frequently Asked Questions about Transfer

What does "Transfer" mean?

"Transfer" means to convey from one person, place, or situation to another, move, shift. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to convey from one person, place, or situation to another, move, shift. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Transfer"?

Other words for "Transfer" include alien, alienate, assign, cede, convey, deed, make over and communicate. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Transfer" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Transfer"?

There are 127 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Transfer". Common alternatives include alien, alienate, assign, cede, convey, deed, make over, communicate, conduct and give.

What is the opposite of "Transfer"?

Antonyms of "Transfer" include accept, receive, hold, keep and retain. Near antonyms include expropriate, catch, come down (with) and contract.

How do you use "Transfer" in a sentence?

Examples of "Transfer" in a sentence: "Claire's grandfather agreed to transfer certain stocks to her when she turned 18"; "they used Morse Code to transfer the message from one ship to another"; "will have to transfer you from our San Francisco office to our New York headquarters".

Is "Transfer" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Transfer" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Transfer" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Transfer" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Transfer"?

"Transfer" is pronounced /tran(t)s-ˈfər/ as a verb and /ˈtran(t)s-ˌfər/ as a noun and divided into syllables as trans·fer.