trailing spouse
Following relocating partner
A trailing spouse is a person who relocates to follow their partner's job or career opportunity, typically giving up their own employment in the process.
The term acknowledges the professional sacrifice involved: She found it hard to restart her career as a trailing spouse.
Common in military, diplomatic, and corporate contexts where frequent moves are expected.
- expatCitizen living abroad
- expat communityRelocated citizens abroad together
- relocationPermanent change of residence
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- careerLifelong occupational pursuit
career gap · partner · abroad · loneliness · identity · adjustment · uprooted · diplomat · foreign service · military · corporate · visa · dependent · homesick · reinvention · networking · isolation · resume
- expatexpat, expat community, expat bubble, relocation, overseas posting
- relocationrelocation, transfer, relocate, resettle, move
- workforce mobilityjob transfer, internal transfer, relocation, reassignment, job rotation
- worldlyworldly, cosmopolitan, globe-trotter, globetrotter, world traveler