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 MacBook Neo has seen a mid-cycle price rise to $699, and reopening the A18 Pro fabrication line will have contributed, as will the crunch on memory and storage due to the rapacious demands of the AI industry. — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Attempts by mediators to secure a 10-day ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz made no apparent progress. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 27 July 2026

Closed to the public for decades, the island reopened for limited tours in 2009 and has since become a magnet for urban explorers and film crews. — Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026

Whether or not both eateries will reopen at a later date remains up in the air. — Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 27 July 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