rejoin
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
to come again into the company of.
to rejoin a party after a brief absence.
-
to join together again; reunite.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to come again into company with (someone or something)
-
(tr) to put or join together again; reunite
verb
-
to say (something) in reply; answer, reply, or retort
-
law to answer (a claimant's reply)
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
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?"
Vocabulary lists containing rejoin
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.
He recognized that the nation’s finances are too constrained for large-scale nationalizations and said Britain isn’t going to rejoin the EU soon.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026
She can't wait to rejoin her two older children - aged five and two-and-a-half - and her husband when she gets discharged.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
“I’m very grateful for the endless support I have received throughout this entire process. I am also grateful for the chance to rejoin my teammates,” Sorsby wrote in a statement posted Monday on Instagram.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
Punch was raised in an artificial environment after being born in July, and began training to rejoin his troop earlier this year.
From Barron's ● May 18, 2026
Eventually, staring at the shut door, I got my lower jaw to rejoin the upper.
From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith
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.
