Standard Lemma guide

reopen

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɹiːˈəʊpən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -əʊpən
  • CMU ARPABET: R IY0 OW1 P AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To open (something) again.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • 1920, Breckinridge Long, US Ambassador to Italy, a speech titled America's Accomplishments From the moment of the declaration by Germany, she would reopen her inhuman warfare by the indiscriminate use of submarines.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To open again.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

open again or anew

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • They reopened the theater

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: open, open up

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re-der. Old French re-bor. Middle English re- English re- Proto-Indo-European *upó Proto-Germanic *ub Proto-Germanic *upp Proto-Germanic *upanaz Proto-West Germanic *opan Old English open Middle English open English open English reopen From re- + open.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: reobrir — (transitive) to open again
  • Finnish: avata uudelleen — (transitive) to open again
  • French: rouvrir — (transitive) to open again
  • French: réouvrir — (transitive) to open again
  • Galician: reabrir — (transitive) to open again
  • Hungarian: újra/újból megnyit — (transitive) to open again
  • Irish: athoscail — (transitive) to open again
  • Italian: riaprire — (transitive) to open again
  • Manx: aa-oshil — (transitive) to open again
  • Portuguese: reabrir — (transitive) to open again
  • Russian: переоткрывать (pereotkryvatʹ) — (transitive) to open again
  • Spanish: reabrir — (transitive) to open again
  • Swedish: återöppna — (transitive) to open again
  • French: se rouvrir — (intransitive) to open again
  • Hungarian: újra/újból megnyit/megnyílik — (intransitive) to open again
  • Italian: riaprirsi — (intransitive) to open again
  • Portuguese: reabrir — (intransitive) to open again
  • Spanish: reabrirse — (intransitive) to open again
  • Swedish: återöppna — (intransitive) to open again
Real reading context

reopen in complete knowledge articles