reopen

verb

re·​open (ˌ)rē-ˈō-pən 

-ˈō-pᵊm

reopened; reopening; reopens

transitive verb

1

: to open again

2

a

: to take up again : resume

reopen discussion

b

: to resume discussion or consideration of

reopen a contract

3

: to begin again

intransitive verb

: to open again

school reopens in September

Synonyms of reopen

• continue
• restart
• resume

Examples of reopen in a Sentence

The restaurant will reopen in April.

I'm sorry, but the store is closed. We reopen at nine on Monday.

The cut on his knee reopened when he tried to run.

The company announced plans to reopen its Detroit factory.

a procedure to reopen a clogged artery

The district attorney reopened the murder case because new evidence was found.

He wants the team to reopen his contract.

Recent Examples on the Web

The natural gas facility involved in the blowout temporarily closed and later reopened at reduced capacity after being deemed safe to operate. — ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026

The theater that’s on the National Register of Historic Places shut down in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and would reopen as Dream Theatre at the Rio. — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026

The latest proposal Iran has publicly discussed would fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping within two days if Washington meets several conditions, including lifting its blockade of Iranian ports. — Cara Anna, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026

The first half of the museum reopened in 2022 with eight new or reimagined galleries, the Northrop Grumman Planetarium, museum store, and the Mars Café. — Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing reopen

• reopen old wounds

Rhymes for reopen

• open
• atropine

Kids Definition

reopen

verb

re·​open (ˈ)rē-ˈō-pən 

-ˈōp-ᵊn

1

: to open again

2

: to take up again : resume

reopen the discussion

Legal Definition

reopen

transitive verb

re·​open ˌrē-ˈō-pən 

1

: to take up again

reopen discussion

2

: to resume the discussion or consideration of (a closed matter)

reopen the contract to negotiate benefits

3

: to try or hear (an action) anew especially for the purpose of hearing new evidence