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

• preview
• practice
• practise
• trial

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

Feldman, who has been taking part in daily rehearsals with Johnson, explained that his previous experience with dancing significantly differed from learning to master ballroom dance under his partner's guidance. —Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025

Practices are held for two hours every Monday, and quartets have additional rehearsals on their own time. —Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025

And in Norway, there’s not a lot of money for rehearsals. —Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025

Right now, in the first week of what will be a three-week rehearsal period, the dancers’ efforts are visible. —David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Sep. 2025

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

• demersal
• 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