rehearsal

noun

re·​hears·​al ri-ˈhər-səl 

1

: something recounted or told again : recital

2

a

: a private performance or practice session preparatory to a public appearance

b

: a practice exercise : trial

Synonyms of rehearsal

• practice
• trial
• preview

Examples of rehearsal in a Sentence

She was 15 minutes late to rehearsal.

There are only three more rehearsals before the concert.

Recent Examples on the Web

Hart and Reid have been preparing for the concert at New York’s Beacon Theatre for weeks, with rehearsals in Los Angeles and New York alongside a full band. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 2 June 2026

Officials are reviewing how the unauthorized fireworks were ignited near the rehearsal site. —Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026

The tour was a massive production, involving rehearsals of more than 60 songs from the band’s catalog after the album’s launch in London and a pop-up concert in New York City. —Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 1 June 2026

The rehearsal was brief, in a way. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 1 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rehearsal

• dress rehearsal
• in rehearsal
• pre-rehearsal
• rehearsal dinner
• wedding rehearsal

Rhymes for rehearsal

• dispersal
• reversal
• transversal
• traversal
• bursal
• versal
• universal

Kids Definition

rehearsal

noun

re·​hears·​al ri-ˈhər-səl 

1

: a private performance or practice session in preparation for a public appearance

2

: a practice exercise : trial

Medical Definition

rehearsal

noun

re·​hears·​al ri-ˈhər-səl 

1

: a method for improving memory by mentally or verbally repeating over and over the information to be remembered

2

: the repeated mental review of a desired action or behavioral response

preoperative rehearsal of coping imagery to reduce anxiety