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Synonyms

rebirth

American  
[ree-burth, ree-burth] / riˈbɜrθ, ˈriˌbɜrθ /

noun

  • rebirths
    plural
  1. a new or second birth.

    the rebirth of the soul.

  2. a renewed existence, activity, or growth; renaissance or revival.

    the rebirth of conservatism.


rebirth British  
/ riːˈbɜːθ /

noun

  1. a revival or renaissance

    the rebirth of learning

  2. a second or new birth; reincarnation

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of rebirth

First recorded in 1830–40; re- + birth


Compare meaning

How does rebirth compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:


Explanation

A rebirth can be a literal reincarnation — being born for a second time in a new body — and it can also mean a brand new beginning, like the rebirth of swing dancing in the 21st century. If you're convinced that after your goldfish died, it was born again in the form of a crow, you believe in rebirth. Many religious traditions include the concept of rebirth. Even if you're not sure about reincarnation, you might describe a renewal or revival this way: "She's hoping for a rebirth of film photography," or "The money from his dad resulted in the rebirth of his business."

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Vocabulary lists containing rebirth

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The word everyone here uses for this phenomenon is tkuma: Hebrew for rebirth or renaissance, with an added nuance, we’re told, of national revival, of a people rising again after having plummeted.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

While it would be terrific to liken her fate to that of Deborah Vance on “Hacks,” at least Jean Smart’s diva got a Vegas rebirth.

From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026

He admitted to being fascinated by fire, and that "things that go through fire experience a kind of rebirth," a detective said in the document.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

F1 2026 has been full of storylines - controversy over new rules, a new star emerging, the rebirth of an old one, and calendar disruption caused by a war.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

They were among the most formidable men in Europe, living proof of the rebirth of Florence.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

Doyle has called Frick one of her “dearest friends,” writing that through “countless rebirths and untamings,” Frick has been her “constant champion, advocate and ambassador.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

According to legend, the Buddha announced shortly after being born that he would have no more rebirths, and the dragons of heaven baptized him with pure water.

From Seattle Times ● May 11, 2024

He was helped by producer Andrew Watt, a 32-year-old who has made pop hits for Post Malone and Miley Cyrus, and overseen grizzled rock rebirths for Iggy Pop and Ozzy Osbourne.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2023

But while Boston and New York had started to rebound in the 1990s, Philadelphia and especially Cleveland have had slower rebirths.

From New York Times ● Jul. 17, 2016

The Hindu religion is the only one of the world’s great faiths dedicated to the idea that the Cosmos itself undergoes an immense, indeed an infinite, number of deaths and rebirths.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

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