reinstate

verb

re·​in·​state ˌrē-ən-ˈstāt How to pronounce reinstate (audio)
reinstated; reinstating

transitive verb

1
: to place again (as in possession or in a former position)
2
: to restore to a previous effective state
reinstatement
ˌrē-ən-ˈstāt-mənt How to pronounce reinstate (audio)
noun

Examples of reinstate in a Sentence

After his name was cleared, he was reinstated as committee chairperson. The school board voted to reinstate the school's uniform policy. the year the death penalty was reinstated
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There were squad members who had taken 40 per cent pay cuts post-relegation from the Premier League a year earlier and were due to have that reinstated if promoted. — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026 By May 2018, within six months of learning of Orndorff’s allegations, the Board of Review cleared Williams of wrongdoing and reinstated him to his $84,000 position as an AAU officer. — Molly Hensley-Clancy, ProPublica, 13 Aug. 2026 JPMorgan resumes Salesforce at overweight JPMorgan reinstated Salesforce and sees plenty of upside. — Michael Bloom, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026 Aside from reinstating the permits, Abelson also ruled a state statute couldn't be enforced on the building. — Dennis Valera, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reinstate

Word History

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reinstate was in 1616

Rhymes for reinstate

See All Rhymes for reinstate

Browse Nearby Words

reinstall
reinstate
reinstatement
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Cite this Entry

“Reinstate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reinstate. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

reinstate

verb
re·​in·​state ˌrē-ən-ˈstāt How to pronounce reinstate (audio)
reinstated; reinstating
: to place again in a former position or condition
reinstate an official
reinstatement
-mənt How to pronounce reinstate (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on reinstate

Nglish: Translation of reinstate for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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