rejoin

¹ American  

[ree-join] / riˈdʒɔɪn /

verb (used with object)

1. to come again into the company of.

   to rejoin a party after a brief absence.

2. to join together again; reunite.

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verb (used without object)

1. to become joined together again.

rejoin ² American  

[ri-join] / rɪˈdʒɔɪn /

verb (used with object)

1. to say in answer; reply, especially to counterreply.

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verb (used without object)

1. to answer; reply, especially to counterreply.

   Synonyms:

   retort, respond

2. Law. to answer a plaintiff's replication.

rejoin ¹ British  

/ riːˈdʒɔɪn /

verb

1. to come again into company with (someone or something)

2. (tr) to put or join together again; reunite

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rejoin ² British  

/ rɪˈdʒɔɪn /

verb

1. to say (something) in reply; answer, reply, or retort

2. law to answer (a claimant's reply)

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Etymology

Origin of rejoin¹

First recorded in 1535–45; re- + join

Origin of rejoin²

1425–75; late Middle English rejoinen < Anglo-French rejoyner, variant of Middle French rejoindre, equivalent to re- re- + joindre to join

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Explanation

To rejoin is to reunite or reconnect with, the way you rejoin your friends at the amusement park after they get off the terrifying rollercoaster. When you go away from someone and then meet up again, you rejoin them. You can also rejoin a club or organization: "I quit band in sixth grade but decided to rejoin this year." In a courtroom, to rejoin is to respond to a plaintiff's statement — it's sometimes described as a reply to a reply. A less common meaning is "sharp, quick response." When one kindergartener calls another "stinky," she might rejoin, "I know you are, but what am I?"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rejoin

DiGenova, who hadn’t worked as a prosecutor for decades, asked Medetis Long to rejoin the probe, people familiar with the team said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026

She would be moving from being a full-time homemaker and mother, which requires physical and emotional labor, to rejoin the workforce.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

Sanchez echoed Macron's comments, saying if the UK asks to rejoin "then of course Spain would applaud it and open its arms again to a brotherly people".

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

Speaking at the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton on Monday, the EU's new ambassador to the UK was asked whether the UK could rejoin the EU or be granted associate membership.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

Because he hadn’t read his air corps washout papers, he had no idea that he’d agreed to rejoin the corps for future service.

From "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand

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Related Words

• reunite

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