re-enter

re-enter — verb

1. to go into a place or begin doing an activity again, after having left it for a

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to go into a place or begin doing an activity again, after having left it for a period of time

Example

Antonia took a deep breath before re-entering the crowded room.

re-enter + noun phrase (physical place)

The spacecraft is expected to re-enter the atmosphere just before sunrise.

Common collocations
  • re-enter the atmosphere
  • re-enter the workforce
  • re-enter society
  • re-enter the market
  • re-enter politics
  • re-enter the building
  • re-enter a room
Synonyms
  • return to

    more general; works for both places and activities, but less specific about the act of entering

  • go back into

    more informal and only used for physical places, not activities

  • resume

    only for activities or roles, not for physical places; implies continuing after a pause

Antonyms
  • leave

    the most direct opposite for physical places

  • exit

    formal opposite, used for buildings or vehicles

  • quit

    opposite for activities, jobs, or roles

Grammar Patterns

re-enter + place

re-enter + activity / profession / field

re-enter (no object, especially in space or aviation contexts)

Usage Note

Commonly used with a direct object that names the place or activity you go back to. In space and aviation contexts, re-enter is often used without an object: 'The capsule will re-enter at dawn.'

Common Mistakes

I will re-enter after lunch.
I will re-enter the office after lunch.
In most contexts, re-enter needs an object to clarify where or what you are going back to.

Word family

  • re-entry
    nounB2
  • re-entrant
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All three synonyms share the core idea of going somewhere or doing something again, but each has a different scope. "Return to" is the broadest — it works for both places ("return to the office") and activities ("return to teaching"), but it does not emphasise the moment of entering. "Go back into" is more informal and limited to physical spaces: you can go back into a room, but not into a career. "Resume" is the exact opposite: it only applies to activities, jobs, or roles ("resume her duties"), never to buildings or locations. Choose "re-enter" when you want to stress the action of crossing a threshold again — whether that threshold is a door or a stage.

return togo back intoresume ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • re-enter the atmosphere
  • re-enter the workforce
  • re-enter society
  • re-enter the market
  • re-enter the building

Adverbs

  • quietly re-enter
  • slowly re-enter
  • briefly re-enter
  • eventually re-enter

Phrases

  • re-enter public life
  • re-enter the dating scene
  • re-enter the competition

Prepositions

  • re-enter through [a door / side entrance]
  • re-enter via [a route]
  • re-enter into [an agreement / a contract]

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Formed by adding the prefix re- (from Latin, meaning 'again' or 'back') to the verb enter (from Old French entrer, which comes from Latin intrare 'to go into'). The word has been used in English since the late 1400s, first for physical spaces and later also for activities and careers. The hyphen is common but not always used; reenter (without hyphen) is also accepted in modern English.