reentry

noun

re·​en·​try (ˌ)rē-ˈen-trē How to pronounce reentry (audio)
1
: a retaking possession
especially : entry by a lessor on leased premises on the tenant's failure to perform the conditions of the lease
2
: a second or new entry
3
: a playing card that will enable a player to regain the lead
4
: the action of reentering the earth's atmosphere after travel in space

Examples of reentry in a Sentence

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.
The ablative heat shield, designed to char upon reentry while keeping the crew safe, had experienced unexpected losses of large chunks during a test flight in late 2022. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026 This case reflects a broader shift in Massachusetts, where restorative justice, rehabilitation, and reentry increasingly occupy conversations once centered on victims’ rights, safety, accountability, and recovery. — Laurie Myers, Boston Herald, 26 Aug. 2026 Under the order, the administration hopes to boost rocket launches and reentries to more than 1,000 per year by 2030. — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 25 Aug. 2026 For clarity, each Trident missile can carry multiple W76/Mk4-family reentry bodies, which separate from the missile after its powered flight. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reentry

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reentry was in the 15th century

Rhymes for reentry

See All Rhymes for reentry

Browse Nearby Words

reentrant
reentry
reenvision
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reentry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reentry. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

reentry

noun
re·​en·​try (ˈ)rē-ˈen-trē How to pronounce reentry (audio)
1
: a second or new entry
2
: the action of reentering the earth's atmosphere after travel in space

Medical Definition

reentry

noun
re·​en·​try (ˈ)rē-ˈen-trē How to pronounce reentry (audio)
plural reentries
: a cardiac mechanism that is held to explain certain abnormal heart actions (as tachycardia) and that involves the transmission of a wave of depolarization along an alternate pathway when the original pathway is blocked with return of the impulse along the blocked pathway when the alternate pathway is refractory and then transmission along the open pathway resulting in an abnormality

Legal Definition

reentry

noun
re·​en·​try ˌrē-ˈen-trē How to pronounce reentry (audio)
: a retaking possession of property by a lessor or grantor in exercise of the right to do so upon the failure of the lessee or grantee to fulfill a covenant or condition see also power of termination at power sense 2b

More from Merriam-Webster on reentry

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reentry

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