rally

rally — noun

1. an event where many people come together in a public space to express support fo

1.nounB1
Definition

an event where many people come together in a public space to express support for a shared cause or belief

Example

Over ten thousand people attended the climate rally outside City Hall last Saturday.

collocation: attend a rally

Talia helped organize a rally to demand better funding for the local library.

Common collocations
  • attend a rally
  • hold a rally
  • organize a rally
  • political rally
  • protest rally
  • election rally
Synonyms
  • demonstration

    focuses on protesting or showing opposition, while a rally can also express support

  • gathering

    more general term; not necessarily political

  • protest

    specifically against something, whereas a rally can be for a cause

2. a driving competition, typically for cars or motorcycles, that takes place on pu

2.nounB2
Definition

a driving competition, typically for cars or motorcycles, that takes place on public roads rather than on a closed track

Example

Takeshi entered the desert rally last year and drove over two thousand kilometres.

collocation: enter a rally

Rachid's motorcycle broke down during the first stage of the cross-country rally.

Common collocations
  • enter a rally
  • cross-country rally
  • desert rally
  • rally driver
  • rally car
Synonyms
  • race

    general term for any speed competition; not specific to roads

  • endurance race

    emphasises the long distance and stamina required

Common Mistakes

The Formula One rally starts at noon.
The Formula One race starts at noon.
'rally' means a road race over long distances, not a track-based competition like Formula One.

3. a sequence of shots exchanged between opponents in a racket sport, ending when a

3.nounB2
Definition

a sequence of shots exchanged between opponents in a racket sport, ending when a player is unable to make a successful return

Example

Cyrus won the point after a long rally that lasted more than thirty shots.

collocation: long rally / win a rally

Linh and Eve exchanged a long rally before one of them made a mistake.

Common collocations
  • long rally
  • win a rally
  • exchange a rally
  • twenty-shot rally
  • baseline rally
Synonyms
  • exchange

    more general; can apply to any sport or even conversation

  • volley

    specifically means hitting the ball before it bounces, not a full sequence of shots

Usage Note

Common in tennis, but also used in badminton, squash, and table tennis for the same idea of a continuous exchange before a point ends.

Common Mistakes

He won the rally after three serves.
He won the rally after fifteen shots.
a rally only includes shots after the serve; the serve itself is not part of the rally.

4. the process of becoming successful or healthy again following a time of trouble

4.nounB2
Definition

the process of becoming successful or healthy again following a time of trouble or decline

Example

The company's shares staged a strong rally after the new product launch.

collocation: stage a rally (financial)

Trailing by two goals, the team staged a late rally but still lost the match.

Common collocations
  • stage a rally
  • late rally
  • stock market rally
  • price rally
  • sharp rally
  • brief rally
Synonyms
  • recovery

    broader term for returning to normal; rally implies a quick, effortful comeback

  • comeback

    informal; often used in sports and entertainment

  • upturn

    mainly economic; suggests a gradual improvement rather than a sudden burst

Antonyms
  • decline

    movement in the opposite direction — worsening rather than improving

Usage Note

Often used in financial contexts (share prices, currencies) or sports (a team recovering from a losing position). For personal health, 'recovery' is more common than 'rally'.

rally — verb

Word family

  • rallying
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

All four words describe movement from a worse state to a better one, but they differ in scope and tone. 'Recover' is the broadest and most neutral — it covers health, emotions, finances, and possessions, without implying speed or effort. 'Rebound' is common in sports and finance, suggesting a quick return after a sharp drop, like a ball bouncing off the floor. 'Bounce back' is more informal and is often used for personal setbacks or team performance after a loss. 'Rally' specifically suggests an active, energetic fight back while difficulty is still present — it is grittier than 'recover'. For example, a market can 'rebound' calmly after bad news, but a politician 'rallies' supporters when trailing in the polls. A patient can 'recover' from surgery, but they 'rally' when they show surprising strength during a crisis.

recover ↗rebound ↗bounce back ↗rally ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Prepositions

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

The word 'rally' entered English from French 'ral(l)ier', meaning to bring troops back together. The French word combines 're-' (again) and 'allier' (to ally or unite). It was first used as a military verb in the 1500s for regrouping scattered soldiers. By the 1600s it had broadened to any gathering of people for a shared purpose. The noun sense for a public meeting appeared in the 1800s, and the sports sense (tennis exchange) followed in the late 1800s. The financial meaning of prices rising after a fall is from the early 1900s.