reentry

noun

re·​en·​try (ˌ)rē-ˈen-trē How to pronounce reentry (audio)
1
: a retaking possession
especially : entry by a lessor on leased premises on the tenant's failure to perform the conditions of the lease
2
: a second or new entry
3
: a playing card that will enable a player to regain the lead
4
: the action of reentering the earth's atmosphere after travel in space

Examples of reentry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
If prisons are expected to prepare individuals for successful reentry, then every legitimate tool should be considered. Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 SpaceX did not share if Starfall survived its reentry or whether it was recovered. Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 24 June 2026 That report looked at the potential environmental impact of two Starfall demonstration reentries, one or both of which was set in motion by today's launch. Mike Wall, Space.com, 23 June 2026 At least one Starfall reentry pod rode to orbit on the Falcon 9, perhaps alongside another undisclosed payload. Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for reentry

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reentry was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reentry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reentry. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

reentry

noun
re·​en·​try (ˈ)rē-ˈen-trē How to pronounce reentry (audio)
1
: a second or new entry
2
: the action of reentering the earth's atmosphere after travel in space

Medical Definition

reentry

noun
re·​en·​try (ˈ)rē-ˈen-trē How to pronounce reentry (audio)
plural reentries
: a cardiac mechanism that is held to explain certain abnormal heart actions (as tachycardia) and that involves the transmission of a wave of depolarization along an alternate pathway when the original pathway is blocked with return of the impulse along the blocked pathway when the alternate pathway is refractory and then transmission along the open pathway resulting in an abnormality

Legal Definition

reentry

noun
re·​en·​try ˌrē-ˈen-trē How to pronounce reentry (audio)
: a retaking possession of property by a lessor or grantor in exercise of the right to do so upon the failure of the lessee or grantee to fulfill a covenant or condition see also power of termination at power sense 2b

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