reactivate

American  

[ree-ak-tuh-veyt] / riˈæk təˌveɪt /

verb (used with object)

reactivated, reactivating

1. to render active again; revive.

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verb (used without object)

reactivated, reactivating

1. to be active again.

reactivate British  

/ rɪˈæktɪˌveɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to make (something) active or functional again

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Other Word Forms

• reactivation
  noun

Etymology

Origin of reactivate

First recorded in 1900–05; re- + activate

Explanation

Whether it’s a slumping economy, a gym membership you let expire, or a feature on your phone that you shut off by accident, when you reactivate something, you put it back into action. In reactivate the prefix re- means "again." Added to the word activate, meaning "start," reactivate means "start again." If your email account has been shut down because of a password error, for example, you would contact tech support to reactivate it, or if you used to be part of a group that has stopped meeting, you might call the other members to see if they are interested in reactivating it, meaning start it back up.

Example Sentences

Reactivate your account and come get ya flowers sis!!

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 21, 2023

Related Words

• revive