Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

respawn

American  
[ree-spawn] / riˈspɔn /

verb (used without object)

  1. (of a character or item in a video game) to reenter an existing game environment at a fixed point after having been defeated or otherwise removed from play.

    If another player character has already opened the treasure chest, you will have to wait a few minutes for the chest to respawn.


adjective

  1. of or relating to the respawning of a character or item in a video game: respawn animations.

    the respawn rate;

    respawn animations.

Etymology

Origin of respawn

First recorded in 1990–95; re- + spawn

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:

You have multiple lives in games, you die and respawn – everything is part of the same machine.

From The Guardian ● Jan. 14, 2016

But it's not frustrating the way it is in more traditional shooters, because it's not just a cycle of die, respawn, repeat.

From The Verge ● May 27, 2015

If you die, you respawn in the next round without an exo suit.

From Washington Times ● Jan. 31, 2015

If there were some way to respawn the beneficial bacteria in the intestines, such re-infections could be warded off.

From Slate ● Jan. 17, 2013

Lots of other players were already there, waiting for the boss to respawn.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 14,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training