rehearse
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to practice (a musical composition, a play, a speech, etc.) in private prior to a public presentation.
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to drill or train (an actor, musician, etc.) by rehearsal, as for some performance or part.
-
to relate the facts or particulars of; recount.
- Synonyms:
- recapitulate, narrate, portray, describe, delineate
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to practise (a play, concert, etc), in preparation for public performance
-
(tr) to run through; recount; recite
the official rehearsed the grievances of the committee
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(tr) to train or drill (a person or animal) for the public performance of a part in a play, show, etc
Related Words
See relate.
Other Word Forms
- rehearsable adjective
- rehearser noun
- unrehearsable adjective
- unrehearsed adjective
- unrehearsing adjective
- well-rehearsed adjective
Etymology
Origin of rehearse
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English rehersen, rehercen, from Middle French rehercier “to repeat,” equivalent to re- “again, over and over” + hercier “to strike, harrow” (derivative of herce, herse “a harrow”); re-, hearse
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.
I won’t rehearse the arguments made here three months ago and alluded to again last week.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
“We grew up in a radical political tradition of theater, where this is where we can rehearse emotional experience — catharsis,” Blenkarn says.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2026
Hosting asks you to orchestrate, rehearse and curate.
From Salon • Dec. 2, 2025
"There wasn't any heating, the presenters had maybe two weeks to rehearse," he explained.
From BBC • Nov. 28, 2025
For a while he tried to rehearse what he would say when the people had all come.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
