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

But today’s traditionalist poets, who accompanied the liberation parade from Idlib to the Umayyad capital, get off on the cognates of salvage and salvation and on the prefixes of survival and revival. —Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026

In this revival, Bailey and Grande will take on the roles of George and Dot, respectively. —Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 14 Jan. 2026

The Wicked costars are reuniting and returning to the stage in a West End revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Pulitzer Prize–winning 1984 musical Sunday in the Park with George. —Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026

Jake Gyllenhaal starred in a Broadway revival of the play in 2017 alongside Annaleigh Ashford. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 14 Jan. 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