resurrect
Americanverb (used with object)
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to raise from the dead; bring to life again.
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to bring back into use, practice, etc..
to resurrect an ancient custom.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to rise or raise from the dead; bring or be brought back to life
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(tr) to bring back into use or activity; revive
to resurrect an ancient law
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(tr) to renew (one's hopes, etc)
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facetious (tr) (formerly) to exhume and steal (a body) from its grave, esp in order to sell it
Other Word Forms
- resurrector noun
- unresurrected adjective
Etymology
Origin of resurrect
First recorded in 1765–75; back formation from resurrection
Explanation
To resurrect is to bring someone back from the dead. You can also resurrect things that are inactive or out of use. If you've ever seen someone bring a dead person back to life in a science fiction or fantasy movie, you saw them resurrect someone. Turning someone into a zombie or vampire is a type of resurrecting, and in the Bible Jesus resurrects Lazurus. Also, this word can apply to any kind of revival. A song can resurrect faded memories. A forgotten project can be resurrected if you start it up again. Resurrecting always involves bringing something back to life.
Vocabulary lists containing resurrect
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for September 11–September 17, 2021
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The Roman and Byzantine Empires, Lessons 1–2
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Free Lunch
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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.
In the letter, the scouts also said they had tried to resurrect the trip after the money went missing, but it became financially unviable due to the exchange rates and cost of living factors.
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026
Fortunately, thus far, many of these videos, whether they exploit the living, resurrect the dead or just make stuff up are … less than convincing.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026
U.S. refiners, however, “have been the winners thanks to PDVSA’s demise and they could see that edge increase if Western companies resurrect Venezuelan crude-oil production,” Kloza said.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 6, 2026
An executive order from President Trump and proposed bipartisan legislation aim to resurrect America’s maritime industry across shipbuilding, ship ownership and shipboard staffing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 29, 2025
We will go back for Cedric and in doing so we will resurrect the world you saw, Scorpius .
From "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" by J.K. Rowling
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.
