Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for resurrection. Search instead for resurrections.
Jump To:
  • resurrection
    resurrection
    noun
    the act of rising from the dead.
  • Resurrection
    Resurrection
    noun
    the rising again of Christ from the tomb three days after his death
Synonyms

resurrection

American  
[rez-uh-rek-shuhn] / ˌrɛz əˈrɛk ʃən /

noun

  1. the act of rising from the dead.

  2. Christianity. Resurrection, the rising of Christ after His death and burial.

  3. Religion. Resurrection, the rising of the dead on Judgment Day.

  4. the state of those risen from the dead.

  5. a rising again, as from decay, disuse, etc.; revival.

  6. Christian Science. a rising above mortality through the understanding of spiritual life as demonstrated by Jesus Christ.


resurrection 1 British  
/ ˌrɛzəˈrɛkʃən /

noun

  1. a supposed act or instance of a dead person coming back to life

  2. belief in the possibility of this as part of a religious or mystical system

  3. the condition of those who have risen from the dead

    we shall all live in the resurrection

  4. the revival of something

    a resurrection of an old story

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Resurrection 2 British  
/ ˌrɛzəˈrɛkʃən /

noun

  1. the rising again of Christ from the tomb three days after his death

  2. the rising again from the dead of all mankind at the Last Judgment

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Resurrection Cultural  
  1. The rising of Jesus from the tomb after his death; a central and distinctive belief of the Christian faith. The Gospels state that after Jesus was crucified and lay in a tomb between Friday evening and Sunday morning, he rose, in body as well as in spirit, and appeared alive to his followers. His resurrection is the basis for the Christian belief that not only Jesus but all Christians will triumph over death. Christians celebrate the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.


Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of resurrection

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin resurrēctiōn-, stem of resurrēctiō, the Easter church festival, from resurrēct(us) “risen again” (past participle of resurgere “to rise again”; see resurge ( def. )) + -iō -ion ( def. )


Explanation

Resurrection describes something that has been brought back to life — literally or figuratively. A zombie resurrection may occur in that scary movie you're watching, or a fashion designer may bring about the resurrection of the a-line skirt. First used in the 13th century, the noun resurrection comes from the Latin word resurgere, meaning "rise again." It can refer literally to a rising from the dead, but you're more likely to hear the word describe something that's figuratively brought back to life — meaning, it's been revived after a time of inactivity or decline. If a pitcher who has been in a slump throws a perfect game, that could be considered a resurrection of his baseball career.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing resurrection

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:

Technically, the song is meant to be the apostle Peter singing about Jesus Christ’s resurrection.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

The resurrection of that soda line also includes a zero-sugar version.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

You can only imagine the Andy Considine stag-do group chat each time the Yes Sir, I Can Boogie resurrection reaches a new height.

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

The shape of Kelly’s resurrection holds clues about how much deeper it could go.

From Slate ● May 6, 2026

The cold night air outside the jail entered Ben’s lungs like the fires of resurrection.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Former Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo remembers being “wowed” when she held a community forum at Resurrection in 2016 that drew hundreds of people.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026

His next job is in the second season of the sequel Dexter: Resurrection which reunites him with Michael C Hall.

From BBC ● Apr. 16, 2026

Against this tense backdrop, Rome is preparing to welcome thousands of worshippers for the Easter celebrations, the most important feast in the Christian calendar, which commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

From Barron's ● Apr. 1, 2026

These are the Annunciation, the Nativity and the Adoration of the Magi; Jesus praying on the Mount of Olives, the Crucifixion and the Lamentation; and, finally, the Resurrection, Ascension and Pentecost.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 26, 2025

“Agreed,” my dad said, but after dinner, when I went back to my room and played Resurrection on mute, I could hear them talking quietly back and forth.

From "Paper Towns" by John Green

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember new words for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com