resume
verb (used with object)
to take up or go on with again after interruption; continue.
resume
1 American
[ri-zoom]
/ rɪˈzum /
verb (used with object)
-
resumes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
resumed,
past participle, past
-
resuming
present participle
-
to take up or go on with again after interruption; continue.
to resume a journey.
-
to take or occupy again.
to resume one's seat.
-
to take or assume use or practice of again.
to resume her maiden name.
-
to take back.
to resume the title to a property.
verb (used without object)
-
resumes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
resumed,
past participle, past
-
resuming
present participle
-
to go on or continue after interruption.
The dancing is about to resume.
-
to begin again.
resume
2
American
[rez-oo-mey, rez-oo-mey]
/ ˈrɛz ʊˌmeɪ, ˌrɛz ʊˈmeɪ /
Sometimes
resumé
or
résumé
noun
-
a brief written account of personal, educational, and professional qualifications and experience, as that prepared by an applicant for a job.
-
a summing up; summary.
resume
1
British
/ rɪˈzjuːm /
verb
-
to begin again or go on with (something adjourned or interrupted)
-
(tr) to occupy again, take back, or recover
to resume one's seat
to resume possession
-
(tr) to assume (a title, office, etc) again
to resume the presidency
-
archaic to summarize; make a résumé of
résumé
2
British
/ ˈrɛzjʊˌmeɪ /
noun
-
a short descriptive summary, as of events
-
another name for curriculum vitae
Spelling
Some French words borrowed into English preserve foreign features, like accent marks: café , déjà vu , résumé , séance , etc. In French, accent marks serve two purposes. They can mark a different vowel quality (the vowels e , è and é are pronounced very differently), or they may distinguish two words that would otherwise be homographs ( ou without an accent means “or,” while où with an accent means “where”). When you use these words in English, it is correct to write them with the French accents or without; the spellings divorcée and divorcee are both accepted. Some people prefer including the accent for accuracy or to evoke a subtle European flavor. The inclusion or omission of an accent mark when naming an establishment cafe or café suggests a certain expectation for the style and tone of the place. Other people find any use of a foreign accent mark to be unnecessary and pretentious. Be aware of your audience when making this decision. As in the original French, accents are useful for differentiating between two homographs. English speakers are more likely to keep the accents in a word like résumé or exposé in order to avoid confusion with the verbs resume or expose . Words without confusable English counterparts, like deja vu or cafe , are less likely to maintain their accents in written English. Generally, the use of foreign accents for words borrowed into English is optional. However, if you do choose to use accented letters, be sure to use the correct accent and be consistent within the word. For example, déjà vu has an acute (rising) accent mark in the first syllable and a grave (falling) accent in the second. The word résumé has two acute accent marks. Avoid haphazard or false accent marking, as sometimes seen in the spellings dejá vu or resumé . The best rule to follow for foreign accent marks is all or nothing.
Usage
Spelling tips for resume There are two words that use the spelling resume, and they’re pronounced very differently, which can make things confusing. As a verb meaning “to continue,” resume is pronounced [ ri-zoom ], which can sound like it should be spelled rezoom. As a noun referring to a list of a person’s professional qualifications, resume is pronounced [ rez-oo-mey ]. To reflect this pronunciation, the noun is sometimes spelled in the French manner, with accent marks (résumé or resumé), but they are not required and it is better to avoid using them. How to spell resume: First, remember that you don’t need any accent marks to spell the noun resume. You can remember how to spell the middle part by remembering that a resume should include the sum of your professional accomplishments. Then just remember that the verb that means “to continue” is spelled the exact same way.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
resumesimple
-
resumessimple
-
have resumedperfect
-
has resumedperfect
-
am resumingprogressive
-
are resumingprogressive
-
is resumingprogressive
-
have been resumingperfect progressive
-
has been resumingperfect progressive
Past
-
resumedsimple
-
had resumedperfect
-
was resumingprogressive
-
were resumingprogressive
-
had been resumingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of resume1
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English resumen, from Middle French resumer or directly from Latin resūmere “to take back, take again,” equivalent to re- “again, back” + sūmere “to take”; see re-, consume
Origin of resume2
First recorded in 1795–1805; from French résumé, noun use of past participle of résumer “to sum up”
Explanation
If you resume something, you start it again after stopping. You might resume singing an aria after breaking to spit out your gum. Resume is from Latin resumere "to take up again, take back," from the prefix re- "again" plus sumere "to take up, take." The Latin verb sumere is formed from the prefix sub- "under, up" plus emere "to take." When you pause a movie or game and then you press play again, what you're really doing is resuming play.
Vocabulary lists containing resume
Unit 1: Telling Details
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English Words Derived from French, List 1
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Excerpt from "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer"
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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:
Oil prices fell on Wednesday, extending a slide, after Iran and Oman said they discussed a temporary deal to resume shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026
On Saturday, voters will be asked to answer "Yes" or "No" to the question: "Should Iceland resume accession negotiations with the European Union?"
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
The update also said the operator had been able to resume operating an hourly train service from Birmingham New Street to Leicester and Derby.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
The cycle of heartbreak is familiar to job seekers everywhere: They see an ad for a role with great pay and potential, spend time customizing a cover letter and resume, hit submit, and then…nothing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Kappe was giving him little choice, and besides, he desperately wanted to go home and resume his "lively" life.
From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple
With multiple hits on his résumé, Shakur enjoyed more freedom crafting his third album, “Me Against the World.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Some posts use names or phrases with a similar pronunciation to the targeted official’s name, or simply post the official’s résumé.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
After 30 years of innovation in the L.A. music scene, Cut Chemist’s résumé of achievements is too long to list.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
El-Sayed is not Platner; he’s been in electoral politics for nearly a decade and has a polished résumé.
From Slate ● Jul. 18, 2026
You’ve seen my résumé and think I have the necessary credentials.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
If the U.S. can keep the nuclear program in check and traffic resumes in the strait, then Trump is more likely to extend the current ceasefire indefinitely, the officials said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
When the cooking resumes, several salmon cakes have already been shaped and set aside.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
May 27: Boeing resumes production of the 737 MAX at low volumes.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
"Once it resumes normal operations, Swift could continue searching for more examples of out-of-place black holes."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
I cover myself with anti-itch cream from Rite Aid but can manage to sleep only for an hour and a half at a time before the torment resumes.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
City Section commissioner Vicky Lagos said the game will not be resumed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
In fact, nine clubs are kicking off with new leaders in the dugout, the most since 1946-47—which happened to be the season that top-flight English soccer resumed following World War II.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
In its report on Wednesday, the observers said the results tabulation process "deteriorated significantly" once counting had resumed after a six-hour pause.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
US and Canadian negotiators resumed trade talks shortly after midday Thursday, as both countries push to finalize a deal to avert new tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
The room buzzed with indignation when the banging resumed, louder than ever.
From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser
The pair made their first pit stops together on lap 21, resuming in second and third place behind Hamilton, who delayed his stop by a further four laps.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
Edwin Díaz will be used in less-stressful situations upon his return from neck inflammation before potentially resuming closing responsibilities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
As we string groups of words together in our heads, resting and resuming, we take in almost unconsciously the little signposts of punctuation that give shape and rhythm to what we’re reading.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
“That said, there is still a meaningful gap between talks resuming and the Strait of Hormuz fully reopening,” he added.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026
When Bull had finished throwing up, Ben thought about resuming the chant, but did not.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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.
