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

In others who have previously been infected, immunosuppression can allow the virus to reactivate and multiply.

From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2026

This “”will inevitably reactivate the trauma of some victims…some of whom are not necessarily known to us,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

"Injecting economic resources into affected families helps reactivate the local economy," he says.

From BBC • Oct. 1, 2025

Kimmel also pretended to open a statement written for him to read aloud by Disney, before reading out the words: "How to reactivate your Disney+ subscription".

From BBC • Sep. 24, 2025

The intercom turns itself off, and I push the button to reactivate it.

From "Liar & Spy" by Rebecca Stead

Related Words

• revive