reinstate

verb

re·​in·​state ˌrē-ən-ˈstāt How to pronounce reinstate (audio)
reinstated; reinstating

transitive verb

1
: to place again (as in possession or in a former position)
2
: to restore to a previous effective state
reinstatement noun

Examples of reinstate in a Sentence

After his name was cleared, he was reinstated as committee chairperson. The school board voted to reinstate the school's uniform policy. the year the death penalty was reinstated
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.
This past summer Mayor Craig Greenberg reinstated a policy allowing Louisville Metro Corrections to hold people for federal immigration authorities to detain them. Ray Padilla, Louisville Courier Journal, 14 Oct. 2025 After a new round of layoff notices was sent late Friday to around 1,300 workers at the CDC, approximately 700 were reinstated on Saturday, while about 600 remain laid off, according to the union. Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2025 On October 10, reports came out that Harry had personally written a letter to the British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood in hopes of getting his security reinstated in his home country. Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 13 Oct. 2025 Her lawyer submitted a letter to the district last week threatening legal action if she was not reinstated at Phoebe Hearst. Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reinstate

Word History

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reinstate was in 1616

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reinstate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reinstate. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

reinstate

verb
re·​in·​state ˌrē-ən-ˈstāt How to pronounce reinstate (audio)
reinstated; reinstating
: to place again in a former position or condition
reinstate an official
reinstatement noun

More from Merriam-Webster on reinstate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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