revival

noun

re·​viv·​al ri-ˈvī-vəl 

1

: an act or instance of reviving : the state of being revived: such as

a

: renewed attention to or interest in something

b

: a new presentation or publication of something old

c(1)

: a period of renewed religious interest

(2)

: an often highly emotional evangelistic meeting or series of meetings

2

: restoration of force, validity, or effect (as to a contract)

Synonyms of revival

• resurgence
• rebirth
• renewal

Examples of revival in a Sentence

a revival of biographical writing

a revival in Gothic architecture

Fashions from the 1970s are enjoying a revival.

The city is showing signs of revival.

There are three musical revivals on Broadway this season.

The opera company is staging a revival of Verdi's Don Carlos.

Recent Examples on the Web

Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s new mayor, in November voiced his opposition to easing short-term rental restrictions, siding with union workers and suggesting any revival of Airbnb’s fight in the city in the new year could be met with similar resistance. —Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026

The series aired from 2004 to 2010 on ABC (all seven original seasons are streaming now), with brief revivals in 2013 and 2019, plus the spinoff Celebrity Wife Swap from 2012 to 2015. —Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Feb. 2026

Zegler, who starred in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 film adaptation of the musical West Side Story, made her Broadway debut in 2024’s Romeo + Juliet opposite Kit Connor and her West End debut in 2025’s Evita revival. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026

This is the reason revivals, such as the solid one that opened Saturday at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts under the direction of Jason Alexander, are so important. —Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing revival

• revival meeting

Rhymes for revival

• archival
• arrival
• survival
• conjunctival
• rival
• subconjunctival

Kids Definition

revival

noun

re·​viv·​al ri-ˈvī-vəl 

1

: a reviving of interest (as in art, literature, or religion)

2

: a new presentation or publication (as of a book, play, or movie)

3

: a new growth or increase

a revival of business

4

: a meeting or series of meetings conducted by a preacher to arouse religious emotions or to make converts

Legal Definition

revival

noun

re·​vi·​val ri-ˈvī-vəl 

: an act or instance of reviving